Expressen reporter convicted
A Swedish appeals court on Friday said Expressen reporter Niclas Rislund was guilty of twice impersonating a police officer in connection to last year’s kidnapping of electronic store Siba’s chief, Fabian Bengtsson.
Expressen’s Managing Editor Per Anders Broberg told The Local on Friday that the paper had only received the verdict hours before and would soon hold a meeting to discuss the fate of Rislund’s current employment as a reporter.
“We were surprised by the verdict,” Broberg said. “It’s a serious matter, but until we have a discussion, I have no comment. It is too early to have all of the answers.”
Rislund, 33, who was hired by Expressen in 2002, was freed in an earlier district court decision, but the court was divided. In Friday’s ruling, the appeals court firmly said that “there is no cause to doubt the accuracy of the witness testimony given.”
Several people have testified that Rislund pretended to be a police officer. Rislund denied committing any crimes.
Rislund, who was accused of telling a Norwegian police officer over the phone that he was “a colleague from Gothenburg,” said he was misunderstood due to the conversation taking place in English and really said, “I am calling from Gothenburg."
The court said Rislund is to pay 60 days of fines valued at 19,800 kronor.
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Expressen’s Managing Editor Per Anders Broberg told The Local on Friday that the paper had only received the verdict hours before and would soon hold a meeting to discuss the fate of Rislund’s current employment as a reporter.
“We were surprised by the verdict,” Broberg said. “It’s a serious matter, but until we have a discussion, I have no comment. It is too early to have all of the answers.”
Rislund, 33, who was hired by Expressen in 2002, was freed in an earlier district court decision, but the court was divided. In Friday’s ruling, the appeals court firmly said that “there is no cause to doubt the accuracy of the witness testimony given.”
Several people have testified that Rislund pretended to be a police officer. Rislund denied committing any crimes.
Rislund, who was accused of telling a Norwegian police officer over the phone that he was “a colleague from Gothenburg,” said he was misunderstood due to the conversation taking place in English and really said, “I am calling from Gothenburg."
The court said Rislund is to pay 60 days of fines valued at 19,800 kronor.
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