BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — An appeals court in Slovakia upheld a lower court ruling that sentenced a businessman allegedly linked to the slaying of an investigative journalist in Slovakia to 19 years in prison in a separate case of forgery.

Marian Kocner was charged with forgery, together with former Economy Minister Pavol Rusko. A court in the town of Pezinok sentenced the two to the same prison terms in February and the country’s Supreme Court on Tuesday confirmed the verdict, which is final.