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ACCUSED: Mayor of Nittedal, Hilde Thorkildsen. Photo: Paul Kleiven, VG
In an interview with Romerikes Blad, the mayor accused of corruption in Nittedal, Hilde Thorkildsen, maintains that she is innocent.
– Now I go to court and defend myself. See you in court, isn’t that what you say? I have done nothing wrong and I will keep it. I have no secrets and I live a completely normal life. You divorce, close and sell a business and do your best in the life that you have been assigned. My life has largely been just family and politics. It is in pieces. Now I will remove it, Thorkildsen tells Romerike Blad in a longer interview.
She has been charged for almost a year, while Økokrim has investigated her and four other people. Now she and a local businessman are accused of serious corruption. The rest of the conditions have been removed.
Money transfer center
The accusation is based on the fact that the businessman arranged the transfer of NOK 125,000 to a company partially owned by the mayor. The transfer took place in November 2013.
ØKOKRIM: The case is being investigated from the Økokrim facility in central Oslo. Photo: Tore Meek / NTB scanpix
The businessman has also been on the owner’s side and active in a large development in the area, which Thorkildsen has dealt with as mayor.
“Økokrim believes that the money transfer was incompatible with the position of mayor and that it is an undue advantage that is affected by the corruption provisions of the criminal law,” said the prosecutor in the case, said the chief state prosecutor, Esben Kyhring, in a press release.
– In what context should the mayor have received this money?
– Exactly in what context I do not want to comment further now, apart from the fact that we believe that a sum has been transferred to this company. And then we think it may be related to the position of the mayor and the involvement she had, Kyhring tells VG.
– Trauma
Thorkildsen has been on sick leave since February this year. She tells Romerike Blad how she was arrested: First the police phoned and she confirmed she was home. She is then arrested by two officers, while others search the house.
He then went to the Økokrim facility in Oslo for a 14-hour interrogation.
– I still have nightmares that day. If I see a police car now, a huge knot of anxiety forms automatically in my stomach. It’s very strange, because I have a lot of affection for the police and have fought for more police locally. They weren’t unpleasant to me either, but it’s probably the shock and seriousness of what they said that has created the trauma in hindsight. Life after February 13 has been absolutely horrible, Thorkildsen tells the newspaper.
Long investigation
It was in June that it became known that Nittedal Mayor Hilde Thorkildsen (Labor Party) and three other people were charged with serious corruption in connection with a major construction case in the municipality. They all did not understand the charges.
The municipality was alerted to the conditions that are under investigation in September of last year.
– Shock
The local Labor Party has followed the process closely.
– We must summarize after this shock that came today. And we are thinking about how we can support Hilde in the legal process she is entering, so that this case is clarified once and for all, says group leader in city council Hanne Børrestuen to VG.
The local party team met today to report to the board and elected representatives. Thorkildsen went on sick leave at the beginning of the year. She is still on sick leave from her job as mayor.
– We really wanted to get her back as mayor of Nittedal, but now things may be different. At least it will take much longer, says Børrestuen.
– We believe that the investigation has taken a long time. As we know Hilde, we have always thought this case is unfounded and we are very surprised by Økokrim’s prosecution today, says Børrestuen.
