The Attorney General demands that Viggo Kristiansen be cleared of wrongdoing at Panehia. He deeply regrets the injustice done to him.
Case updated.
– The case had profoundly tragic consequences, especially for Christiansen, who thus spent more than 20 years in prison and thus was robbed of most of his life. His loved ones have suffered an unimaginable loss. Therefore, on behalf of the prosecution, I apologize profusely for the injustice done,” Attorney General Jorn Sigurd Maurut said at a press conference at 1 p.m. on Friday.
The Attorney General wants Vigko Kristiansen to be acquitted of the attack and murder in Panehia, where Stine Sophie Sørstronen (8) and Lena Slogedal Paulsen (10) were found to have been raped and killed in 2000 – and he has already served more than 20 years. In prison.
– How to compensate for such a mistake?
– I don’t think we can do it. The only thing we, the society, can offer is compensation in the form of money, replies Maurut.
– But I hope that those around Kristiansen will take this decision to heart and that he has the right to be considered – that is, innocent.
Attorney General Apologizes – Police Director Apologizes
The Attorney General apologizes most strongly to Vigo Christiansen and his family.
– My deepest sympathies for the survivors and relatives of Stine Sofie Sørstrønen and Lena Sløgedal Paulsen.
He says the case now leaves questions they and others want answered.
– We have an absolutely clear task in assessing how we can and should handle the Panehia case
– In this case, I see clearly that I have to apologize for what happened from the prosecutor, he says after presenting the decision.
Police Director Benedikt Bjornland offers an unreserved apology on behalf of the police.
– This is a deep tragedy, and on behalf of the police I would like to apologize unreservedly to the survivors of Vigko Kristiansen and Stine Sofie Sørstronen and Lena Slogedal Paulsen, Björnland tells VG.
– Now it is my responsibility to ensure that the necessary lessons are learned from what went wrong, says the police director.
He writes in a press release that Erik Erland Holmen, the first public prosecutor in Akter, stands behind the Attorney General’s apology for the injustice committed against Vigo Christiansen and his relatives.
Former Attorney General Tor-Axel Busch had the final say on whether to bring charges against Viggo Christiansen. He has yet to respond to VG’s inquiries about what he wanted to say to Christiansen after the news of his release.
Therefore, they believe that Viggo Christiansen should be released
In the past few weeks, the Attorney General has reviewed recommendations for a new investigation into the Panehia case and prosecution by the Oslo State Prosecutor’s Office. In total, it covers several thousand pages of documents, including new DNA tests.
– When I did my considerations, I did not find it difficult to balance, the Attorney General says about the decision.
According to him, the entire investigative material did not provide evidence to prosecute Christiansen for the conditions under which he was convicted in the Panehia case.
– Instead, new information has come to light that clearly weakens the evidence against Christiansen when he was convicted, he adds.
This source is central to liberation
The Attorney General’s decision on DNA evidence, teledata evidence and John Helge Andersen’s explanation:
– In short, it is my assessment that there is no DNA evidence to support the central evidence that was used as the basis when Christiansen was convicted, meaning that the acts must have been committed by more than one perpetrator, Maurut says of the DNA evidence. .
He also points out that teledata evidence confirms that Christiansen is not guilty. Additionally, the attorney general believes Anderson’s interpretation suffers from weaknesses.
In a meeting room at a Bristol hotel, Viggo Kristiansen’s lawyer Arvid Sjødin and the press conference follow.
– It doesn’t come as a surprise, says Sjødin about the result.
This is happening now
The Attorney General agrees that a new trial is not necessary. Formally, it will now be up to the Court of Appeal to grant Vigo Christiansen an acquittal.
The investigation was conducted for one and a half years
For almost a year and a half, ten investigators hunted the Oslo police district After fresh answers in Panehia case.
On September 2, the Oslo State Prosecutor’s Office forwarded its recommendation to the Attorney General They decide whether they believe Viggo Christiansen is guilty or innocent.
Today the Attorney General has taken his final decision.
Thus, on the evening of 19 May 2000, Viggo Kristiansen’s year-long battle against acquittal for the attack and murder in Panehia finally came to an end.
Christiansen has always denied the crime, but was sentenced to 21 years in prison Detention.Detention means that a person in prison may have to stay longer than previously determined because the person is at risk of committing a new, serious crime and protecting society from this person.
DNA studies
In 2000, Christiansen was pointed out by his partner at the time, Jan Helge Andersen, as the initiator and mastermind of the crimes committed against Stein Sofi Sørstronen (8) and Lena Slogedal Paulsen (10).
On May 21, 2000, the girls were raped and killed in Panehia.
In the new Panehia investigation, police conducted fresh DNA testing of old trace samples in the case.
These studies have taken place in Norway and Switzerland.
The results of these investigations only show new findings against John Helge Andersen. But there was no finding against Christianson.
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