In six places
Perjury investigations against Woelki: Investigators search the premises of the Archdiocese of Cologne
Cars are parked at the residence of Cologne Archbishop Rainer Maria Woelki. The public prosecutor’s office and police in Cologne are searching several objects in the Archdiocese of Cologne.
© Thomas Banneyer / DPA
Investigators searched several premises of the Archdiocese of Cologne on Tuesday. As the police in the cathedral city announced, the searches were related to investigations into Cologne Archbishop Rainer Maria Woelki for allegations of perjury.
In the course of the perjury investigations against Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, buildings of the Archdiocese of Cologne were searched on Tuesday morning. The aim of the searches was, among other things, to secure documents related to statements by Woelkis, in which, according to allegations, he is said not to have told the truth. This was announced by the public prosecutor and the police in Cologne. The WDR had previously reported about it.
Investigations against Cardinal Woelki on suspicion of perjury
According to the investigators, among other things, the rooms of the General Vicariate, the Office and the Archbishop’s House were searched, as well as the business premises of the IT service provider who manages the e-mail traffic of the Archdiocese. In addition to Cologne, one object each was also searched in Kassel and Lohfelden in Hesse. The searches went without incident and were largely met with cooperation, it said.
Criminal investigations are underway against Woelki on suspicion of perjury and false oaths. It is about the question of when Woelki knew about allegations of abuse against the former Sternsinger boss Winfried Pilz. In a criminal complaint filed by a private individual, he is accused of having made incorrect statements in a sworn testimony before the Cologne district court in March. Woelki had rejected all allegations.