WARSAW (Reuters) - Polish special services searched the homes of former Law and Justice (PiS) government officials again on Wednesday as part of an investigation into alleged misuse of funds managed by the justice ministry, a prosecution spokesperson said.
The nationalist PiS lost power after eight years in October 2023 to a coalition of pro-Europe parties headed by Donald Tusk's Civic Platform. The new government says those accused of breaking the law during PiS rule will be held to account by prosecutors who it says are now free of political influence.
On Tuesday, special services forced their way into the home of former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro and the prosecution said four people - three former justice ministry officials and one beneficiary of the fund - had been detained.
On Wednesday, officers searched the room of former Deputy Justice Minister Michal Wos in a hotel belonging to the parliament and another house belonging to Ziobro's family, a prosecution spokesperson said. Wos said his home outside Warsaw was also searched.
The investigation regards alleged misuse of money from the Justice Fund, set up to help victims of crime.
"I have nothing to reproach myself for, everything was legal when I supervised the Justice Fund...I will file a complaint against the prosecution," Wos told reporters.
A former Supreme Audit Office president said in front of a parliamentary commission on Wednesday that he had proof that 25 million zlotys ($6.3 million) from the fund were spent on Pegasus spyware which the new government says was used under PiS against some of its politicians.
As heir to the throne - and son of the late Princess Diana, William is used to the scrutiny that comes with being a British royal.
Local media reported the funds were also used to curry favour among rural PiS voters, such as by buying fire engines or equipment for country housewives' associations.
Ruling Civic Platform (KO) lawmakers told reporters they would ask the electoral commission to investigate whether the funds were used in PiS' electoral campaign last year.
"There is a lot of information, it is high time for the National Electoral Commission to check whether there was any illegal financing. If so, it would mean that PiS could lose its subsidy - almost 100 million zlotys over 4 years", Dariusz Jonski said.
Ziobro, who said he was undergoing chemotherapy after surgery for esophageal cancer, called the search of his house a "spectacle of banditry and lawlessness".
"I have currently interrupted my post-surgery therapy to come here today from afar," Ziobro told reporters late on Tuesday in front of his house, which was still being searched.
"All these actions are illegal, it's an implementation of political orders of (Prime Minister) Donald Tusk and (Justice Minister Adam) Bodnar."
Ziobro was the architect of judicial reforms that critics said undermined the independence of the courts. He has previously denied any wrongdoing.