Håkan Juholt subject to criminal investigation

Alf Johansson, a prosecutor at the National Anti-Corruption Unit (Riksenheten för korruption), has now handed over the case to the Swedish National Police Crimes Unit (Riksenheten för polismål) in accordance with regulations for alleged crimes involving Swedish MPs.

The Social Democrats issued a statement shortly after the prosecutor’s announcement on Monday.

“I welcome the preliminary investigation. A full inquiry is important,” Juholt said, explaining that he planned to work fully with the police on the matter.

When the details first emerged on Friday, Juholt immediately held a hastily arranged press conference in which he admitted to the situation and declared his intention to repay the money, which has been reported to be 160,000 kronor ($23,800).

Juholt furthermore repeated his assertion that he had not read the regulations thoroughly.

“I have erred in not studying the rules with regards to the residences of MPs. I apologise for that. I want to underline that I have not claimed too much remuneration deliberately.”

Details emerged at the weekend over when Håkan Juholt first became aware that it he had first received erroneous payments for his residence in Stockholm from the Riksdag.

According to information published by the Aftonbladet daily, the Social Democrat leader was first warned in an internal audit in 2009, information which contradicts the explanation offered by Juholt at a press conference on Friday.

Håkan Juholt on Friday claimed that he had only been made aware that if he lived with someone else then the rental payment should be halved, a month ago.

In response to the allegations in Aftonbladet, Juholt gave an interview with the TT news agency on Sunday in which he denied the reports.