Emil Jędrzejewski Refuses to Testify Without Legal Counsel

Former Southern Hospital chief Emil Jędrzejewski declined to provide testimony to Warsaw prosecutors on Wednesday, citing his current inability to secure legal representation for the ongoing investigation into medical mismanagement.

Refusal to Testify

Emil Jędrzejewski, the former head of the Southern Hospital, appeared at the Warsaw District Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday following claims he made in a television interview regarding procedural failures and patient deaths at the facility’s emergency department. He refused to answer questions, stating he would only testify in the presence of an attorney, whom he has yet to appoint.

Prosecutors informed Jędrzejewski that the hearing could not be deferred due to the significance of the information he claimed to possess. Despite presenting a note containing the names and personal identification numbers of two individuals, Jędrzejewski remained silent when questioned by officials.

Seizure of Evidence

During the session, prosecutors requested that Jędrzejewski surrender the mobile phone he allegedly used to document hospital irregularities. The witness stated that the device currently in his possession was not the phone containing the relevant messages. He has been ordered to produce the correct device at a follow-up hearing scheduled for next Monday.

Ongoing Investigations

The District Prosecutor’s Office revealed that 32 separate investigations related to the Southern Hospital have been registered since the beginning of 2023. These cases include allegations of medical negligence, theft, threats, and physical assault. Of these, 12 proceedings concern patient deaths, including one case involving a body found in a hospital restroom.

Broader Context of Misconduct

Recent reports suggest that Dawid Kacprzyk, the former emergency department coordinator, earned 1.6 million PLN in medical fees last year while allegedly allowing politicians to bypass standard triage procedures. Following these disclosures, the facility’s management board was dismissed, and multiple investigations are currently being conducted by the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau, the National Health Fund, and other oversight bodies.