The two wives of Jozef Puska’s brothers Marek Puska (35), and Lubomir Puska (36) have both been found guilty on charges relating to their actions in the aftermath of Ashling Murphy’s murder.
Viera Gaziova (34) – the partner of Lubomir Puska – and Jozefina Grundzova (39) – the partner of Marek Puska – are accused that they on dates between 12th and 14th of January 2022 within the state knowing or believing that Jozef Puska had committed an offence of murder or some other arrestable offence of similar category or nature, did without reasonable excuse act with intent to impede his apprehension, prosecutions, or conviction namely by burning items of clothing belonging to him. This offence is assisting an offender contrary to Sec 7.2 and 4 of the Criminal Law Act 1997.
The fifth accused, Jozef Puska’s wife Lucia Istakova, pleaded guilty on the first day of the trial and was not present for the hearings of the remaining four.
The two brothers of Jozed Puska were also found guilty on charges that they, on dates between the 14th and 15th of January 2022 both dates inclusive, within the State did fail, without reasonable excuse, to disclose as soon as practicable to a member of An Garda Síochána information to wit Jozef Puska had returned to an address in Tullamore on the 23rd of January 2022 with visible injuries, and that he had admitted to killing or seriously injuring a female with a knife.
Marek was charged that he was aware of an arrangement to burn clothing worn by Jozef Puska at the time of the murder and that Jozef Puska subsequently travelled to Dublin on the 12th Jan 2022, being information that they knew or believed might be of material assistance in securing the apprehension, prosecution, or conviction of Jozef Puska for an offence to wit involving the loss of human life or serious harm to another contrary to Section 9.1.B of the Offences Against the State Act 1998.
Lubomir was charged with similar offences, bar the knowledge of the intent to burn clothing.
All five of the defendants are to appear before the courts on the 7th of July. Probation reports have been ordered by Justice Caroline Biggs.