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ACCUSED: Mayor of Nittedal, Hilde Thorkildsen. Photo: Paul Kleiven / NTB
Ecocrime has long investigated the role of Nittedal Mayor Hilde Thorkildsen (Labor Party) in a major construction case. Now she and a businessman from the municipality are accused of flagrant corruption.
The cases against three people accused in the case have been dropped.
According to the indictment, the mayor of Nittedal was involved in the municipal prosecution of cases in which the owner of the company had interests and property, including the regulation and development of a new residential area, Økokrim writes in a press release.
The indictment is further based on the fact that the merchant has arranged the transfer of NOK 125,000 to a company partially owned by the mayor. The transfer took place in November 2013.
ØKOKRIM believes that the money transfer was incompatible with the office of mayor and that it is an undue advantage that is affected by the corruption provisions of the criminal law, says the prosecutor in the case, the state attorney Esben Kyhring in the statement press.
– 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.
– The investigation takes almost a year. Why has it taken so long?
– I would say that it has not been long if you consider the nature of the case. There are several factors that we have had to clarify, among them the processes surrounding the construction case, there have been searches, extensive seizures and we have carried out a large number of interrogations, says the Attorney General.
ATTORNEY: Hilde Thorkildsen’s attorney, Geir Lippestad. Photo: MATTIS SANDBLAD
Geir Lippestad is Thorkildsen’s lawyer. He tells NTB that he is shocked by the accusation.
– He is very clear that he has not done anything wrong and has cooperated with the police all the time, says Lippestad.
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.
– It is as expected for us, says Odd Ivar Grøn, defense of one of the three to whom the case has been closed.
– My client believes that the decision could have come earlier, he adds.
The municipality was alerted to the conditions that are under investigation in September of last year.
According to the indictment, the financial connection between the businessman and the mayor also violated ethical guidelines for employees and elected representatives in the Nittedal municipality.
The mayor also shouldn’t have informed the municipality about the connection or raised questions about whether the relationship with the merchant could have an impact on his own fairness, Økokrim writes.
Attorney General Kyhring does not want to comment on his strongest evidence in the case.
– It will be a matter of judicial process. We have evaluated the sum of the evidence and believe that it provides a basis for prosecution, he says.
– 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.
Do you have any advice in the case? Get in touch with VG journalists here.
Great construction project
There has been much dispute between the municipality and the county municipality over the development that is central to Økokrim’s research.
Access to the VG documents has been given to show that the municipality already in 2009 received a proposal to expand the relevant area. In the area there are both cultural monuments and hiking trails. The great distance to public transportation in particular has been criticized by the county governor.
Both Thorkildsen and former mayors from various parties have been in negotiations with the county municipality to obtain approval of the plans.
– It is quite common in case processing for the mayor to have a dialogue with the county governor in such cases, Lippestad has stated to VG about Thorkildsen’s role in the case prosecution.
He previously said that the client does not understand the allegations and that he hopes the case will be dropped.
