Jozef Puska’s brother Marek told gardaí investigating the murder of Ashling Murphy that his back medication was affecting his memory and preventing him from telling them more.
Marek Puska (36) is accused of withholding information that was crucial to the investigation into Ms Murphy’s murder. He is on trial with his brother Lubomir Puska jnr (35), who is also accused of withholding information.
Their wives, Jozefina Grundzova (31) and Viera Gaziova (38), are accused of impeding Jozef Puska’s apprehension or prosecution by burning the clothes he wore when he murdered Ms Murphy.
Each accused has pleaded not guilty.
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On Friday, Det Garda Cian Steers told prosecutor Anne-Marie Lawlor that Marek agreed to give a voluntary statement at Tullamore Garda station on January 14th, 2022, two days after Ms Murphy’s murder.
He described how the family ended up in Ireland, with three brothers, their wives and 14 children all living in one house in Mucklagh, Tullamore. He described the period as “golden times, the best of times”.
He said he and Jozef were on disability allowance due to back problems.
On January 12th, the day of the murder, Marek got up at his usual time of about 12.30pm. Jozef was not home, which was unusual, and he had not taken his phone. Marek went into Tullamore to search for Jozef.
When he could not find Jozef, he went to a Garda station to report his brother missing and to the local hospital to ask whether anyone named Jozef Puska had checked in.
Marek said he went to Dublin that evening, but returned to Mucklagh the following day by bus. As he pulled up to the house, he noticed gardaí. A Polish garda told him “someone from my house had killed someone”, he said. “I did not know how to answer or what to say ... Is it about me, my brothers? I thought about it and said, ‘No, it is not possible’.”
He said nobody who knows his family would say they could kill someone. At the end of his statement, Marek said: “I want to tell you a bit more, but I can’t because of the medicine I have taken. My doctor told me it can affect my memory.”
He promised to contact gardaí if he remembered anything else, adding: “I want to help.”
In cross-examination, Det Garda Steers agreed with defence senior counsel Karl Finnegan that at the start of the statement, Marek accurately described Jozef’s bicycle and immediately identified the bike when shown a photograph.
Det Garda Joanne O’Sullivan told Ms Lawlor that, in the following days, gardaí became aware that Marek wished to make a further voluntary statement.
Gardaí arrested Jozef on the morning of January 18th. That evening, gardaí interviewed Marek. He told Garda O’Sullivan that, when he and Lubomir jnr were looking for Jozef on the 12th, they received a call telling them their brother was at home and in a “poor state”, having been “beaten up”.
He said Jozef had injuries, blood on his head “like he had been hit”, and three holes in his abdomen. He said Jozef told him it was “not my business” and not to ask questions. Jozef claimed to have self-inflicted the wounds to his abdomen, Marek said.
Marek said he did not believe his brother would do that to himself and cried when Jozef refused an ambulance. He said he is close to his brother, “like two halves of an apple, I can’t live without him”.
He described Jozef as the “go-to man” who would “help everyone”. He said Jozef did not have mental issues and would talk through any problems he had.
Later on the night of the murder, Marek said Jozef left with their parents to go to their house in Dublin.
It is alleged that Marek failed to disclose that Jozef returned home on the night of Ms Murphy’s murder with visible injuries and admitted to killing or causing serious injury to a woman. It is further alleged he knew of the arrangement to burn Jozef’s clothes and that Jozef travelled to Dublin that night.
Lubomir jnr is alleged to have also withheld that Jozef returned home with visible injuries, admitted to “cutting a female”, and travelled to Dublin.
Jozefina Grundzova, who is married to Marek, and Viera Gaziova, who is married to Lubomir jnr, are accused of assisting in burning clothing between January 12 and 14th without reasonable excuse. They are also accused of intending to impede Jozef’s apprehension or prosecution, knowing or believing him to have committed the offence of murder or some other arrestable offence of a similar nature.
All accused have pleaded not guilty and have an address at Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Tullamore, Co Offaly.
The trial continues on Monday before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and a jury of seven men and five women.
