Final Word from Monday, July 27, 2015
After the verdict in the David Rath corruption case was rendered last week, State Prosecutor Petr Jirát gave one interview after another. In one of them he said that public opinion isn't important to him. This obvious contradiction - why give so many interviews if public opinion isn't important? - should be enough to put us on guard against Jirát. And our wariness should increase multifold when we hear Jirát say that he definitely thinks Rath has hundreds of millions of crowns hidden away somewhere and that he therefore presents a flight risk, once a final verdict is handed down. Jirát is publicly accusing Rath of crimes without providing any proof. This is the same sort of bravado that significantly damaged the image of the police and prosecutors in the Nagyová case (remember Ivo Rittig's gold?). Public opinion does matter, and it's enhanced when prosecutors only make accusations that they can substantiate in court. [Czech Republic corruption case conviction Jan Nečasová]
Glossary of difficult words
to render (a verdict or judgment) - to deliver;
wariness - caution, alertness, vigilance;
multifold - many times doubled;
flight risk - said of a person or defendant who is thought likely to flee to avoid prosecution or imprisonment;
bravado - a bold manner or a show of boldness intended to impress or intimidate;
substantiate - to provide evidence to support or prove the truth of.