It Was Not About Ransom
Director Robert Socha
Countries Poland
Duration 54 min
Synopsis
Kidnap, murder, suicide and police incompetence. It was a crime that shocked and enthralled Poland. Top justice officials were forced to resign, and three suspects were found dead in their prison cells. There has been a parliamentary commission and the prime minister has demanded an explanation, but the crime remains unsolved. With its bizarre twists and turns, prosecutors have dubbed the Olewnik kidnapping case ‘Twin Peaks,’ after David Lynch’s surrealistic television series. The story began one October evening in 2001. Włodzimierz Olewnik, a businessman from central Poland, had invited some local police officers to his son’s new house for a barbecue. After the meeting the gangsters ran into the house, beat Krzysztof Olewnik, tied him up and kidnapped him. Two days later, the kidnappers demanded 300,000 USD to set Krzysztof free (this was later changed to euro). It was almost two years before the gang collected the ransom. They then murdered Krzysztof. It was another three years before his body was discovered. During those two years, the kidnappers repeatedly taunted the Olewnik family. They were extraordinarily brazen, phoning the Olewniks dozens of times and sending letters handwritten by Krzysztof. They warned the family repeatedly not to contact the police, but police were involved from the very beginning. But no progress was made in finding the Olewnik’s missing son. Commentators have noted several features of the case that suggest corrupt police officers or other individuals working in the justice system may have been involved in the kidnapping and murder.
Kidnap, murder, suicide and police incompetence. It was a crime that shocked and enthralled Poland. Top justice officials were forced to resign, and three suspects were found dead in their prison cells. There has been a parliamentary commission and the prime minister has demanded an explanation, but the crime remains unsolved. With its bizarre twists and turns, prosecutors have dubbed the Olewnik kidnapping case ‘Twin Peaks,’ after David Lynch’s surrealistic television series. The story began one October evening in 2001. Włodzimierz Olewnik, a businessman from central Poland, had invited some local police officers to his son’s new house for a barbecue. After the meeting the gangsters ran into the house, beat Krzysztof Olewnik, tied him up and kidnapped him. Two days later, the kidnappers demanded 300,000 USD to set Krzysztof free (this was later changed to euro). It was almost two years before the gang collected the ransom. They then murdered Krzysztof. It was another three years before his body was discovered. During those two years, the kidnappers repeatedly taunted the Olewnik family. They were extraordinarily brazen, phoning the Olewniks dozens of times and sending letters handwritten by Krzysztof. They warned the family repeatedly not to contact the police, but police were involved from the very beginning. But no progress was made in finding the Olewnik’s missing son. Commentators have noted several features of the case that suggest corrupt police officers or other individuals working in the justice system may have been involved in the kidnapping and murder.