The major trial surrounding the bribery and corruption scandal at Wiener Wohnen ended on Wednesday evening at the regional court with suspended prison sentences for the main defendants.
A 58-year-old company boss, who allegedly ‘greased’ dozens of foremen at Wiener Wohnen from April 2011 to 2013, and two of the entrepreneur’s closest employees were each suspended for 15 months.
“To keep the foremen happy”
The jury assumed that the donations were made for the dutiful conduct of official business “to keep the foremen happy,” as chairman Thomas Spreitzer stated in the reasons for the verdict. The three main defendants – in addition to the entrepreneur, who during the criminal period operated a glass and painting studio, a stonemason’s company and various construction companies, his director and the head of accounting and human resources – were therefore found guilty of providing benefits. within the meaning of §307a StGB.
“Utterly incredible”
The judge described the 58-year-old’s denial of responsibility as “unique” and “completely unbelievable”. Three foremen who had pleaded “not guilty” in the proceedings that had been going on since September were given a probation period of one to three months for bribery. The different sentences were explained by the different degrees of individual enrichment, which varied between 50 and 830 euros.
Forty foremen, who were originally also co-defendants, were largely distractedly removed before the finale of the trial. “In any case, they have admitted that these incidents took place and that they regret them,” the judge said. This way they could avoid a conviction. Some foremen were acquitted due to lack of evidence – ultimately this also applied to one of the company employees, who could not be proven to have contributed to the facts in question.
Defense attorneys are asking for time to think about it
The statements are not legally binding. Defense lawyers asked for time to think, but the prosecutor initially made no statement. The 58-year-old’s group of companies had carried out assignments for Wiener Wohnen at the time. Work required in municipal building complexes was carried out in the form of ‘house lists’ or ‘repair lists’.
In order to continue receiving additional work orders, foremen would have been given fuel and store vouchers, and in rarer cases, material possessions. In the reasons for the judgment, the judge referred to ‘voucher management’. Three and later five percent of turnover determined the amount of ‘sugars’.
Source: Krone
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