DNA tests show that the body exhumed from the grave of the murdered Krzysztof Olewnik are indeed his, the Prosecutor’s  Office in the coastal city of Gdansk has announced.

“There is absolutely no doubt that the exhumed body belonged to Krzysztof Olewnik,” said spokesman Zbigniew Niemczyk.  

The DNA tests and exhumation are just the latest twist in a murder story which shocked Poland after Krzysztof, the son of a wealthy businessman, was kidnapped and finally brutally murdered in 2003. Since then men arrested and charged with his murder have committed suicide and the investigation has been accused of incompetence and cover up.

Justice Minister Krzysztof Kwiatkowski confirmed the results of the exhumation on Tuesday morning..

“It was an extremely thorough genetic examination carried out several times in order to eliminate any doubt. The probability that the exhumed body belonged to Krzystof Olewnik is 1:187 trillion. So for the sake of Olewnik’s family the result is considered to be final,” said Kwiatkowski and praised the team of pathologists from the medical University of Gdansk who carried out the autopsy. 

The exhumation and DNA tests were requested by Olewnik’s family, who had serious doubts about the identity of the body. The Prosecutor’s Office in Gdansk ordered another post-mortem because it had found a series of mistakes in the workings of the Prosecutor’s Office in Olsztyn, which had previously worked on the case.

First of all, one of Olewnik’s DNA samples did not match the victim’s genetic code. Secondly, the body was 6 cm shorter than the body of Krzysztof Olewnik. Thirdly, Olewnik’s family did not have a chance to identify Krzysztof’s body because it was not presented to them. Finally, the opinion that the remains belonged to Krzysztof Olewnik was given before autopsy and was based solely on Olewnik’s murderer’s statement, who hesitated while indicating the burial place. The Justice Minister has also decided to reopen the investigation on the mysterious death of Wojciech Franiewski, one of the Krzysztof Olewnik’s murderers because new evidence was found. 

Olewnik’s abduction and murder

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. A parliamentary commission investigating the abduction and murder of Krzysztof Olewnik is now underway. (mg/pg)