The rape charge, which was dropped by the Agder police district, has in recent months become central to the new investigation of the Baneheia case.
The woman who reported him on March 6, 2009, thought she was the victim of a consummated rape once before the murders in Baneheia.
The reason why the case was dropped was that the Agder police believed that the alleged abuse must have happened before he was 15 years old, ie that he was under criminal age. The woman is younger than Andersen.
Found review in September
Andersen and his then friend Viggo Kristiansen (43) were convicted of the murders of Stine Sofie Sørstrønen (8) and Lena Sløgedal Paulsen (10) in Baneheia on 19 May 2000.
Kristiansen was appointed by the prosecution and the court as the principal. He was sentenced to 21 years in prison, while Andersen was acquitted of one of the murders and sentenced to 19 years in prison.
A year ago, however, the case against Kristiansen was reopened.
Since then, the case has been investigated by the Oslo police district, which received the case from the Agder police. Last week, however, it became known that not all relevant documents were handed over between the police districts.
It was not until 14 September last year that the Oslo police became aware of the rape report from 2009.
The report is in stark contrast to the Agder police’s statements in connection with the reopening, where they write:
“There is no information that Andersen has previously abused either adults or children, or that he has behaved threateningly or violently.”
Remember a few details
TV 2 is aware that the Oslo police, when they became aware of the report, called the woman who reported Andersen for questioning.
Andersen and at least two other people who the police believe are relevant witnesses have also been asked about the alleged rape.
– INVESTIGATOR: The Oslo police district has put experienced homicide investigators on the much-discussed Baneheia case. Photo: Frode Sunde / TV 2
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The interrogations show that the police believe it is important to clarify the circumstances surrounding the assault charge – also in light of what happened in Baneheia.
Among the reasons why Kristiansen was appointed as the main man was his history of previous abuse of children. Andersen, for his part, was never alleged to have committed sexual offenses before.
During the interrogation in November last year, Andersen says that he remembers being shocked when he heard about the accusations. Now, more than ten years later, he remembers few details from the case. He expresses that he does not get it to vote.
Woman: Could have been me
Andersen also does not remember what he himself explained when the police questioned him in 2009.
The woman and Andersen knew each other when the abuse according to the review took place. Andersen believes today that she may have been pressured to report him.
– POPULAR AREA: Stine Sofie Sørstrønen (8) and Lena Sløgedal Paulsen (10) bathed at the southern end of the 3rd pond in Baneheia before they were killed. Photo: Terje Frøyland
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When the woman was questioned in connection with the report in 2009, she said that she, in light of the murders in Baneheia, thinks that it could just as easily have been herself who was raped and killed.
– He maintains that this accusation against him is not correct, Andersen’s defender, lawyer Svein Holden, writes to TV 2.
– Due to my duty of confidentiality, I unfortunately do not have the opportunity to go further into the actual pages of the case, and must therefore refrain from giving further comments.
Questions about years
As far as TV 2 understands, the Oslo police are also concerned with finding out when the alleged abuse is said to have taken place.
A key witness whom the police attach importance to has explained that the incident that led to the report must have taken place in 1997.
The witness justifies this with several specific incidents, including a death, which the person in question believes occurred during the same period as the alleged rape.
However, the witness in question does not believe that Andersen raped the woman, who was a child at the time.
The offended woman herself has not dated the police to the alleged abuse until 1997.
The reason why the Oslo Police District is very concerned about this today is that the Agder police did not necessarily do the right thing in closing the case if there was information that Andersen was over the criminal minimum age.
– ACTOR: Andreas Schei is one of two public prosecutors responsible for the Baneheia case. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB
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State Attorney Andreas Schei does not wish to comment on the information contained in this case. Kristiansen’s defense counsel, lawyer Arvid Sjødin, says that he does not want to comment on the content of the interrogation at this time.
Andersen: «Completely gone»
This autumn, the police also received answers to new DNA tests. Andersen’s DNA was found six places at Lena Sløgedal Paulsen.
Police believe the findings may be compatible with abuse. Andersen has previously explained that he only abused one of the girls.
In interrogation, Andersen reveals that he may have suffered a memory loss. Andersen also says that if he has committed abuse against both girls, then one is “completely gone”, according to TV 2’s information.
When the investigation is completed, the public prosecutor shall write a recommendation to the Attorney General, who will decide how the case is to be processed further.
The prosecution has three options:
- To issue a new indictment against Kristiansen, and then conduct a new main hearing in the Borgarting Court of Appeal.
- To request that Kristiansen be acquitted, which in turn will lead to a short hearing in the Court of Appeal.
- To ask that Kristiansen be acquitted, and at the same time prosecute Andersen for murder and / or abuse against both girls, which could potentially increase the 19-year prison sentence he has served.
A decision from the prosecution is expected before the summer.
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