Viggo Kristiansen was imprisoned for allegedly raping and murdering two girls. The state of Norway has now apologized for the bitter miscarriage of justice.
The case hits the Norwegian judiciary to the core, especially as it is the second in days for which the state has had to apologize in full. Viggo Kristiansen – now 43 years old – was charged with raping and murdering two girls aged eight and ten with his friend Jan Helge Andersen in the spring of 2000 at a swimming lake in the Baneheia Recreation Area near Kristiansand.
Half life in prison
Kristiansen always maintained his innocence, but was heavily accused by Andersen and considered primarily responsible for the crime by investigators. The sentence with which the public prosecutor sent him behind bars in 2002 was correspondingly high: 21 years in prison plus the possibility of preventive detention. It is the most severe punishment in the Norwegian legal system.
After new exculpatory evidence, a DNA analysis method has now also shown that Kristiansen cannot have been the perpetrator. He was released. Attorney General Jörn Sigurd Maurud apologized to the now 43-year-old Viggo Kristiansen for the “injustice committed”.
Jan Helge Andersen now has to account for everything alone. Accusing his friend at the time, he was only sentenced to 19 years in prison for collaborating with the police.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
