Gross embezzlement of defense material

KNM Helge Ingstad on its way to the Mariners Championship 2017 in Bodø. Crew trainging on seraching for CBRNM. Photo: Forsvaret.no

Retired head of department charged with gross embezzlement of defense material

A former head of department in the Armed Forces is charged with gross embezzlement after the police found defense material worth at least NOK 600,000 in his possession.

 

A total of 5,665 objects were seized, writes VG.

– Uniforms applicable both to national and international operations, rucksacks, lingerie, and other clothing, says police attorney in the Eastern Police District, Bjørn Arne Tronier, to the newspaper.

Many of the objects have been stored in the man’s home, while others were stored in different places at the defense camp, Sessvollmoen.

The man claims that the items were to be disposed of anyway. He therefore does denies culpability, his defendant, lawyer Jørgen Lægland, states.

The prosecutor however chose to accuse him of gross embezzlement as he had access to the items by virtue of his position.

The seizure is estimated at a value of NOK 600,000, but the police believe that in reality it is talk of larger sums as some of the items are deemed as being derelict and therefore has no booked value.

Illegal weapons

The man is also charged with two violations of the weapons act. One of them is that he allegedly kept a fighting glove in his car, the other that he should have had a gun together with two magazines of live munitions in a bag outside of his weapons cabinet.

The case is scheduled to appear before the Upper Romerike District Court on May 24, 2018

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today