– I register that it is a unanimous verdict in which my innocence and the injustice that has been committed against me is unquestionably confirmed, writes Birgitte Tengs’ cousin in an SMS to news. On Monday, Johny Vassbakk (52) from Karmøy was sentenced to 17 years in prison for the murder of Birgitte Tengs in May 1995. This means that he is the second person to be convicted of the murder. Two years after the murder in May 1995, Tengs’ then 19-year-old cousin was convicted of the murder of his cousin. The cousin was acquitted the following year in the Court of Appeal, but he was also sentenced to pay restitution to the parents in a civil case, where other evidentiary requirements apply. Johny Vassbakk (52) was sentenced to 17 years in prison on Monday for the murder of Birgitte Tengs in May 1995. Photo: Privat The demand for compensation was later waived, but the sentence stood until November last year. Then the Agder Court of Appeal overturned the sentence against the cousin. – Brutally abusive Fetteren, who was summoned as a witness in the trial, has received the verdict against Vassbakk via the media. The cousin further writes in an SMS that he thinks it is good that the verdict is clear in his speech. – But it is brutally offensive that it is necessary to convict another person so that the court can determine in writing the innocence that both expertise and the jury based on 25 years ago. This judgment comes a quarter of a century too late, writes the cousin in an SMS. The cousin wrote in an SMS to news in November that he was relieved that he and his family had finally won the case. – Norway has not only wrongly convicted me, but also repeatedly refused to correct the error. It is 19 years since the ECHR judged Norway, it is completely grotesque that we have again and again met a wall in our attempts to resume the civil case, he writes in an SMS to news in November. Has asked for a meeting Bent Endresen, one of the cousin’s lawyers, has asked for a meeting with the Ministry of Justice and Emergency Services about a possible compensation in the case. Minister of Justice Emilie Enger Mehl said in October that she would look at the legislation which meant that the cousin was still locked into the compensation sentence after he was acquitted of the crime itself in the Court of Appeal. Minister of Justice Emilie Enger Mehl does not want to comment on the verdict. Photo: Vegard Blodstrupmoen Lien / news Endresen did not want to say anything about the size of the compensation claim, but said that it would be large. – The cousin has in practice been banned from working in Norway. He has been overqualified for several jobs, and also lost a job he had got after he had moved back from Spain. Here we can probably find figures on lost employment income. But how to measure compensation for being branded by the Norwegian state as an abuser and murderer? he told news last week. The cousin’s lawyer, Bent Endresen. Photo: Marte Skodje / news The Minister of Justice will not comment Arvid Sjødin, another of the cousin’s lawyers, told news earlier on Monday that he now hoped the police had the right man. – This is not surprising. It shows that it was a serious mistake by the police and Kripos to go after the cousin, said Sjødin, who is currently on holiday. Arvid Sjødin. Photo: Josef Benoni Ness Tveit / news The judgment against Vassbakk is not final. Minister of Justice Emilie Enger Mehl takes note of the verdict, but does not wish to comment on it for the time being. – But it is a bad thing for everyone who is affected. My thoughts go out to Tengs’ parents and relatives, says Enger Mehl.
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Birgitte Tengs’ cousin’s reaction to the verdict against Johny Vassbakk – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
