perjury
Search operation in investigations against Woelki
The public prosecutor’s office and police in Cologne are searching several objects in the Archdiocese of Cologne. The Archbishop of Cologne is Rainer Maria Woelki. photo
© Henning Kaiser/dpa
Unannounced visit to the Archdiocese of Cologne. Police officers began a search operation in various locations on Tuesday morning. It is about investigations against Cardinal Woelki.
In the course of their investigations into Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, the Cologne public prosecutor’s office had several premises searched, including in the archdiocese. The action has been running in six locations since 8 a.m., the public prosecutor said.
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.
According to the investigators, four of the places were in Cologne and one each in Kassel and Lohfelden. These are the premises of the General Vicariate, the Official Office and the Archbishop’s House as well as the business premises of an IT service provider who manages e-mail traffic in the Archdiocese of Cologne. The searches were carried out without incident and were largely met with cooperation at the respective search locations.
The Archdiocese of Cologne confirmed the search of business premises by the public prosecutor. “Experience has shown that it will take a long time before the result is available. Until then, we ask the public not to use an open-ended investigation as an opportunity to express prejudice,” the archdiocese explained.
background of the search
The public prosecutor said that the search was about investigating an initial suspicion. She also stated that the presumption of innocence applies. The accused will in no way be accused of actively or even passively covering up or even participating in acts of abuse.
According to their own statements, the investigators wanted to use the searches to ensure written documents and intradiocesan communication about the processes. The evaluation and evaluation of the secured evidence will take a long time. Around 30 police officers and four public prosecutors were involved in the measures, it said.
Criminal investigations are underway against Woelki on suspicion of perjury and false affidavit. 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.