On Tuesday morning in Nuuk, the district court started a new case against a person who previously held a trusted position in Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq.
According to the prosecution, the person in question has committed abuse of authority, fraud and data fraud. The indictment contains a total of four charges, and the person in question pleads not guilty to all of them.
One of the charges alleges that the former municipal manager illegally contributed to a certain company winning a municipal tender. According to the indictment, the company won a tender, despite another company having made an offer 390,000 kroner cheaper.
Other charges are that the person concerned has unlawfully used a public credit card and claimed reimbursements for expenses.
1 year imprisonment
The prosecution wants a sentence of imprisonment for 1 year.
The Copenhagen West Region Police are presenting a prosecutor in the District Court, just like in last year's much-publicized case against former Chairmen of the Regional Government Lars-Emil Johansen and Lars Møller-Sørensen. Both were acquitted by the High Court in a fraud case.
This has now led to an unusual start to today's hearing. The defense claims that the prosecutor from Denmark lacks the necessary justification to take the case at the Sermersooq District Court.
The trial court met on Tuesday morning to discuss the issue. The court has also dealt with Sermitsiaq's request to lift the name ban that applies at the beginning of the trial.
The trial court decided at around 11:00 a.m. to grant Sermitsiaq's request, and the name ban has been lifted, with the judge recognizing the public interest. The defense has appealed the court's decision to lift the name ban to the High Court.
The court has also decided to continue the trial, thereby rejecting the defense's request to drop the case.
