Eight charges against Baugur CEO Jón Ásgeir Jóhannesson and his colleagues came before the Reykjavík District Court yesterday.
According to Fréttabladid the defense council demanded that the court rule that the defense be allowed access to computer records from Jón Gerald Sullenberger. The records are in the custody of the Office of the National Commissioner of Police. They relate to communications between the defendants and between the defendants and certain witnesses.
The defense council also demanded that the court rule whether or not the minister of justice, Björn Bjarnason, is competent to appoint a state prosecutor.
According to Fréttabladid the defense council has demanded a written explanation as to why Jón Gerald Sullenberger is not charged with the same crime as the defendants in the Baugur case. According to Gestur Jónsson, the defendant for Baugur CEO Jón Ásgeir Jóhannesson, a confession to criminal offenses from Jón Gerald can be found in case documents.
In October, the Supreme Court of Iceland dismissed 32 of 40 charges against Baugur CEO Jón Ásgeir Jóhannesson and his colleagues.
The remaining charges relate to the annual reports and automobiles that were imported to Iceland. In charges 33-36, Baugur CEO Jón Ásgeir Jóhannesson, former Baugur CEO Tryggvi Jónsson, and KPMG accountants Stefán Hilmar Stefánsson, and Anna Thórdardóttir, are charged with giving misleading information on loans to shareholders, the board of directors, managing directors and others closely involved in Baugur’s annual reports from 1998 – 2001.
In charges 37 – 40 Baugur CEO Jón Ásgeir, his father and sister are charged with evading import duties and preparing false documents in connection with automobiles they imported from the US. They are charged with evading paying ISK 2.3 million in taxes and import duties
