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IN COURT: On Thursday, former Justice Minister Tor Mikkel Wara will explain himself in the criminal case against his threatened partner, Laila Bertheussen. Photo: NTB
OSLO DISTRICT COURT (VG) Former Justice Minister Tor Mikkel Wara says he woke up with a sound at night when the house was first attacked, and that the co-inhabitant was sleeping in bed.
When he took the witness stand in room 250 of the Oslo District Court on Thursday morning, it was clear to him that he did not believe the defendant was cohabiting behind any of the threatening incidents and that the arrest was “a shock.”
The prosecution, on the other hand, believes that Laila Bertheussen wrote “racist” on the family home, drew a swastika on the car, and tried to start the car shortly after 2:00 p.m. on December 6, 2018. He denies his criminal guilt.
In court, Tor Mikkel Wara was asked about tonight two years ago.
– I woke up alone, by a sound. I got up to check what the sound was and went to bed. It may not have taken long, Wara explains.
– When did you wake up? asks State Attorney Frederik G. Ranke.
– This is a recurring question, Wara answers, and points out that he has estimated different times in police interrogations.
– For all practical purposes, I don’t know.
– But did you have a hunch from 03-02?
– I had slept at least a couple of hours, so 02-03: 30, Wara answers.
Controversy over time
The prosecution is concerned about the weather because they believe that he may have been awakened by co-inhabitant Laila Bertheussen, who they believe committed vandalism against the car and the house that night.
– She was lying next to me in bed when I woke up. If she hadn’t been there, she wouldn’t have come to check what the sound was. She gets up a lot at night and the only reason I’m going to see him is because he’s lying next to me in bed, Wara explains.
– Did you see her? asks the Attorney General.
– Yes, I think I saw it. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have stood up.
Watch the video, this is why TV interviews are shown in court:
– I must have remembered wrong
Earlier this week, it was revealed that the health app on the defendant’s mobile phone was in motion during the 02-02.17 period, during the same period that Wara said he woke up. When the prosecutor asks if Wara has any explanation for this, he replies:
– No, it indicates that it is not the right moment, so I must have remembered wrong.
– Or does it indicate that she was not in bed when you woke up?
– I have answered this. I was in bed, but I don’t know the time. And this sound here … I get up and wake up. It may take a minute. I try to sleep as quickly as possible, Warra answers.
– There was no reason for you to try to identify what happened. There were no mysterious things about that night. Maybe it was the cat or some tiles that had this down. It is not certain that it has anything to do with the incident, he continues.
ACTOR: State Attorney Frederik G. Ranke. Photo: NTB
The pressure for images for the media
In court last week, it emerged that Bertheussen himself made sure to send photos of the damage to the car to the press, just hours after the then Minister of Justice discovered the damage.
– What do you think of the leakage of photographs to the press? asks the Attorney General.
– I’m not sure if the word fugue is the correct word. That assumes it is a secret. If someone destroys your car, you can tell anyone. It’s not a crime, Wara replies.
The prosecutor will then know if Wara, as then Minister of Justice, thinks it was good that Bertheussen took photos and sent them to the press, so that someone can call and take the blame.
– I did not think on that. I focused on the political comment. I thought, “I’m not going to comment on this now, I’ll think about it a bit,” Wara replies.
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“This does NOT have to be there yet”
– But is it wise to send photos to the press?
– I don’t want to say anything about it, but I know it’s completely legal, he replies.
– It is not the legality we are talking about, it is wisdom.
– Nobody thought that this was not going to happen, it was a matter of time, Wara responds.
– Is it good that it comes out sooner or later?
– It is a decision for the police to make. It’s your information, does it really matter if it says something about submitting a review? responds the former Minister of Justice.
– Don’t you mean it was reckless of him?
– I did not know anything about this. I knew I had to leave a comment. She was fully aware of that, but you may want to think about what to say, Wara replies.
– Perhaps it is convenient to wait to send photos as well? asks Ranke
– I have not considered the wisdom of that at all, Wara replies.
