Prisoner "exchange" scandal hits Hungarian jail

Officials of Hungary's National Penal Authority (BVOP) on Wednesday admitted that an unidentified man had served the prison sentence of another man.

After saying that the case was without precedent, it was later revealed that correction officers determined in late 2001 that a man identified only as István H. had served all but two weeks of an 18-month sentence for fraud handed down to one Sándor T. In that case, the wrongfully incarcerated man was apparently paid Ft 2.5 million (approximately €10,000) to take the place of the convicted fraudster.

The BVOP is withholding details on the new case until an investigation can be completed, while there is no further information on the outcome of the 2001 "prisoner exchange" case.

• Email
• Save to My Caboodle