Polish Man Released After 20 Years Following Wrongful Life Sentence in Germany

Piotr Pytel has been granted a temporary release from a Polish prison after spending two decades behind bars for a murder committed by another man in Germany.

The Legal Battle for Freedom

Piotr Pytel made several unsuccessful attempts to obtain a pardon. On Thursday, June 18, the Minister of Justice announced that the procedure for his pardon would be restarted. Waldemar Żurek noted that officials were analyzing the possibility of a temporary suspension of the sentence to allow Pytel to remain free during the proceedings.

On Monday, June 22, Pytel was released from the Rzeszów Penal Institution due to a break in his sentence. A final decision regarding his permanent freedom now rests with the President, who is tasked with reviewing the pardon application.

A Conviction Based on Circumstantial Evidence

The case dates back to March 2004, when Tomasz W. planned a robbery of Ekaterina I. in Munich. Pytel admitted to helping Tomasz W. reach the victim’s residence as he was unfamiliar with the city, but insisted he never consented to or participated in the murder.

Pytel learned of the murder via radio reports. Police identified him after tracking mobile phone activity in the vicinity of the victim’s apartment. Pytel claims he was 500 meters away at a bus stop at the time, noting that no DNA or physical traces linked him to the crime scene.

The Confession of the Real Perpetrator

Following his 2006 conviction and subsequent transfer to a Polish prison in 2009, investigators eventually identified Tomasz W. as the actual killer. During a prosecutor’s interrogation, Tomasz W. confessed to the murder and explicitly stated that Pytel was unaware of his actions.

Despite these findings, German authorities initially refused to reopen the case, claiming the Polish evidence was insufficient. Reports indicate that Tomasz W. has since been deported to Germany, where he served his sentence and has already been released from prison.