Andrzej Lepper; photo - PRFormer deputy prime minister Andrzej Lepper, leader of the Self Defence party, was back in court today to appeal against last year's sentence of two years and three months imprisonment following charges that he and a colleague requested sexual favours in return for jobs.
The case was adjourned, however, as party colleague Stanislaw Lyzwinski failed to appear at the hearing. Lepper explained that his colleague was recovering from a spell in hospital.
From the beginning, both men have claimed innocence to all charges.
“Let this case finally finish,” Lepper exhorted to the TVP public broadcaster outside the court, “I want to relieve my family of this burden.”
The road to scandal
Andrzej Lepper has long been one of the most provocative characters in Polish politics. He rose to fame in the late nineties championing the plight of low income farmers, launching controversial media stunts such as roadblocks on imported grain. His encounters with the law courts are not infrequent.
Lepper was catapulted into the top league in May 2006, when coalition talks broke down between the Law and Justice party and the Civic Platform following close elections
The Kaczynskis invited Lepper's party to form a coalition alongside the League of Polish Families (LPR). Lepper became deputy prime minister and minister of agriculture.
That same year he was sacked by Jaroslaw Kaczynski, a move that was repeated the following year, after a brief reinstatement into the cabinet.
The sex affair broke in December 2006, following claims made by a former employee of Lepper’s, Aneta Krawczyk. She alleged that both Lepper and Lyzwinski has sought sexual favours in return for jobs in the party.
In February 2008, a court sentenced both men to prison terms.
According to the prosecutor, Lyzwinski's lawyer now has seven days to provide adequate evidence testifying to his client's state of health. Following that, the case may proceed. (nh/pg)