The military prosecutor’s office, the Audit Corps, wants the man punished with both imprisonment and a fine. It appears from the indictment in the case.
– This is a weapon that he has been given in the service, and which he has therefore come into legal possession of, says assistant military prosecutor Søren Rasmussen.
– But the moment he leaves the exercise area, he is in our opinion no longer in service, and therefore there will be a violation of the Firearms Act, it sounds from the prosecutor.
The now 21-year-old man left the training area, where he stayed as part of his military service, on foot, according to the indictment. He was later transported in a “civilian vehicle”, as the indictment states.
He entered Esbjerg city center, where, according to the indictment, he left the rifle in the vehicle unattended. According to Søren Rasmussen, he allegedly met with a friend. Later he returned to Varde Barracks.
The Audit Corps believes that the case is so serious that there is a violation of the Firearms Act in aggravating circumstances. However, the offense is not so serious that it must be considered a violation of criminal law.
– In our opinion, more is needed. Firstly, he does not have sharp cartridges with him, and secondly, it is not a weapon that he has come into illegal possession of, says Søren Rasmussen.
If possession of a firearm is considered to be so serious that it falls under the provision of the Penal Code in section 192 a, the punishment is very harsh. Such an offense is punishable by at least two years’ imprisonment.
The M95 rifle is the Armed Forces’ usual infantry weapon. It was a rifle of this type that Omar El-Hussein used when he attacked the Krudttønden culture house in Copenhagen in 2015.
The case will be heard on Monday 3 May at the Court in Esbjerg. The accused man denies guilt.
Source: The Nordic Page