Grzegorz K., former leader of the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) in Sierpc, 100 km northwest of Warsaw, has been accused extortion in connection with Krzysztof Olewnik’s abduction and murder.

The politician is accused of wheedling money out of Wlodzimierz Olewnik, wealthy businessman and Krzysztof’s father, on the pretext of helping him find his son after his abduction.

The Prosecutor’s Office in the northern city of Gdansk claims that Grzegorz K., together with Eugeniusz D. alias Gienek, wheedled 160,000 zloty (40,000 euro) from Wlodziemierz Olewnik and intended to extort an additional 15,000 dollars.

Grzegorz K. - full name withheld under Poland’s privacy laws now that he has been charged by prosecutors - denies the allegations.

Krzysztof Olewnik was abducted in October 2001 and ransom was demanded for his release. In July 2003, the abductors were given 300,000 euro but Krzysztof Olewnik was still not freed. His body was later found and the post mortem concluded that he was tortured and brutally murdered a month after the kidnappers received the money.

Three men convicted in Olewnik’s case later committed suicide in prison. Parliamentary commission investigating the abduction and murder of Krzysztof Olewnik is now underway. (mg)