Warsaw, Poland – Poland’s Interior Minister is taking legal action over a serious incident that occurred under the previous government involving a grenade launcher gifted to the former head of police by a Ukrainian official. The explosion caused by the grenade launcher in the office of Jarosław Szymczyk in December 2022 led to his hospitalization, sparking public outrage at the time.
In a recent announcement, Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński revealed that an audit of the incident uncovered numerous serious breaches connected to the grenade launcher’s explosion. The investigation highlighted a total of 27 transgressions, shedding light on what Kierwiński described as systemic mismanagement by Szymczyk and politicians from the previous ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party.
According to Kierwiński, reports will be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office, with charges likely to include possession of a weapon without a permit and abuse of power. It was noted that Szymczyk had neglected to have the grenade launcher inspected after receiving it as a gift from Ukraine. The minister expressed surprise that the previous government did not hold Szymczyk accountable, considering his close ties to the PiS party.
During a working visit to Ukraine, Szymczyk received two grenade launchers from Ukrainian officials, one of which had been converted into a loudspeaker. The incident occurred when Szymczyk was rearranging the grenade launchers in his Warsaw office, resulting in a powerful explosion that damaged the building and left him injured. Subsequently, criminal proceedings were initiated in Ukraine, leading to the suspension of the individual responsible for the gift.
The aftermath of the explosion raised concerns about security protocols and the handling of potentially dangerous gifts by high-ranking officials. It underscored the need for stricter regulations to prevent similar incidents in the future and hold those responsible for negligence or misconduct to account. As investigations continue and legal actions are pursued, the incident serves as a cautionary tale of the risks associated with mishandling weaponry in official settings.