In its youth homes, among other things, the Norwegian Institutions Board uses security systems and shell protection from Sweden’s largest security company, Securitas.
Now Cold Facts can reveal that the authority and Securitas are being investigated for corruption. There are several people at Sis who are suspected of accepting bribes, according to Kalla fakta’s information.
The company Securitas, with former employees suspected of paying bribes, does not want to be interviewed.
“We take this very seriously and have zero tolerance for deviations from our code of conduct. That our employees act correctly in all situations is extremely important, there is absolutely no room for doubt,” writes Securitas Technology’s press department in an email.
The prosecutor who leads the investigation at the national unit against corruption does not want to comment on the investigation, among other reasons, due to pre-trial confidentiality.
Part of larger bribery
The suspicions surrounding Sis are part of a larger bribery investigation, which started in Ystad. Personnel at the company Stanley Security, which has now been bought by Securitas, are suspected for several years of having bribed officials at Ystad municipality, with things such as stuff and travel, which SVT Skåne reportt about.
The municipality believes that corruption may have led to municipal takeover agreements worth SEK 100 million.
“Corporate culture”
In the investigation into Sis, Ystad municipality and Securitas, a total of nine people are suspected of either giving or taking bribes.
One of the suspects is a former employee of Stanley Security. He is suspected of having given bribes to both Sis and Ystad municipality. His lawyer tells Kalla facts that the suspicions of bribery concern trips, events and dinners at work. The man denies any crime, the lawyer states.
– He was at the bottom of the hierarchy and had several managers above him. In any event, my client is not responsible for the corporate culture or the directives that management has had and given for many years. He has also had no insight or intention to commit any crime but has followed the directives that higher managers have given him, writes defense attorney Rebecca Sofiadotter Lepic.
Cold Facts has been in contact with five defense attorneys, three of whom state that their client denies any wrongdoing. Two of the defenders do not want to comment at all.
The authority: Does not comment
According to reports, the police investigation into Sis and Securitas is broad and deals with suspected bribery on several occasions. Kalla fakta has not been able to confirm exactly which purchases and procurements may have been affected by the suspected corruption
The State Board of Institutions, Sis, does not want to appear for an interview.
– We never give interviews if there is an ongoing legal process. Then we cooperate with the police, of course, in their investigation, and we refer them to them, says Helena Györki, press secretary at the State Board of Institutions.