Pollster Sabine Beinschab was granted leniency status on Wednesday. This sparks speculation about who might be the next suspect to confess.
On 222 pages, opinion pollster Sabine Beinschab made a confession in the ÖVP affair to achieve the impossible – namely become a crown witness. She has gone through a first phase: she has been granted a provisional leniency status by the prosecutor’s office for economic and corruption. Prosecutors argue the decision that Beinschab disclosed “new facts and evidence”.
Beinschab’s status as a leniency witness is disputed
Beinschab’s statement enabled the WKStA to launch new investigations into breaches of trust, money laundering and anti-competitive agreements. In concrete terms, this concerns “studies commissioned and paid for by the Ministry of Finance for Sebastian Kurz and the ÖVP”.
The ten studies had a financing volume of EUR 337,320. In addition, Beinschab heavily accused her ex-boss Sophie Karmasin by reporting on price-fixing for studies – and that Karmasin was given assignments as a minister.
Lawyer Karmasin: legal situation “softened”
The WKStA decision has sparked heated debate in legal circles. Karmasin attorney Norbert Wess believes the legal requirements for leniency are not being met. One can only become a crown witness if no coercive measures have been taken before the confession.
Such a coercive measure was carried out by the arrest of Beinschab. The fact that Beinschab is now getting leniency status is a “softening of the legal situation”.
Anyone else unpacking?
Lawyer Johannes Zink sees it differently. “The coercive measures have not been taken in connection with the new fact of fake offers. There was only one coercive measure regarding the ads. In that regard, I think the leniency status is justified and it has a signal effect,” says Zink.
Signal effect insofar as other suspects could now ‘sing’ in the casinos when they bring new facts to light. There is already speculation about who could be the next suspect to speculate with a leniency confession.
Source: Krone
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