Soldier Who Maimed a General in a Bar Still Serving in Czech Army

Nearly a year after the attack on General Roman Hytka in a Brno bar, the attacker — Sergeant Martin Šejbal — is still serving in the Czech Army despite a final, legally binding conviction. This was confirmed by General Staff spokeswoman Zdeňka Sobárňová Kovšvancová.

The incident took place last summer, when the heavily intoxicated thirty-year-old sergeant suddenly attacked General Roman Hytka with a bladed weapon, aiming for his neck. The general saved his own life by grabbing the blade with his bare hand — an act that left him with permanent injuries. In June, a court sentenced Šejbal to three years' probation with an equal-length driving ban, and ordered him to pay the victim nearly half a million crowns in compensation. The sergeant fully admitted his guilt but claimed he had no memory of the incident — at the time of the attack, his blood alcohol level was nearly three per mille. The motive for attacking a general he had never met remains unknown.

Why the Army Hasn't Dismissed the Soldier

According to the General Staff spokeswoman, a final conviction does not automatically trigger dismissal from military service. The Professional Soldiers Act requires dismissal only if continued service would damage the reputation of the armed forces — an assessment currently being carried out by Vladimír Studený, director of the Personnel Policy Agency.

The decision will be based on the written court verdict, which the army received on July 14, along with the outcome of a review by the National Security Authority (NBÚ), which began proceedings to revoke Šejbal's security clearance earlier this year. No final decision on the clearance has yet been made. According to NBÚ spokesman Milan Radosta, the law does not set a specific deadline for deciding whether to revoke or retain a clearance.

"Like Alice in Wonderland"

While the decision remains pending, Sergeant Šejbal remains formally assigned to the 92nd Cyber Warfare Group. He has been temporarily relieved of his duties and placed "at the commander's disposal" — meaning he no longer holds his previous post but carries out tasks assigned by his commanding officer. He continues to receive a salary corresponding to his rank, though without additional allowances.

General Roman Hytka, the victim, admitted he doesn't understand the situation. "If it's true that this soldier is still part of the army, I simply don't understand it — not from a legal standpoint, but as a human being. Over the past year I've felt like Alice in Wonderland. To join the army, you have to pass psychological tests, and if they mean anything at all, then this man's continued presence in the military makes no sense," he said. Before the attack, the general headed the intelligence directorate and was part of the General Staff's top command, but this summer, after thirty years of service, he was forced to leave — the National Security Authority declined to renew his security clearance. Hytka disagrees with the decision and has filed a lawsuit against the authority.

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Source: seznamzpravy.cz