Thursday, September 23, 2010

Polish church official charged with fraud

A Polish church official who handles reparations of assets looted during the Communist regime was arrested on charges of corruption and fraud, prosecutors said on Wednesday.

The Catholic Church representative, who was part of a Church-State commission established in 1991 to organise the restitution of religious property, was arrested in the southern city of Gliwice and detained for three months, prosecution spokesman Michal Szulczynski told AFP.

"He is charged with an act of corruption as a state employee and for fraud which caused physical damage to two people and moral damage to one," said the spokesman.

The commission has received more than 3,000 requests for restitution of land or buildings.

Around 250 remain under examination, and several have been contested by local governments.

SIC: TIMESlive/EU