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Ex-police chief sex trade case widens

TT/The Local
TT/The Local - [email protected]
Ex-police chief sex trade case widens

Allegations directed at a former Swedish police chief suspected of rape continued to mount on Friday with a further woman accusing the retired officer of pimping.

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Göran Lindberg, a respected law enforcement official who recently retired after a career spanning more than 20 years, is suspected of charges ranging from rape, plotting to rape or pimping in a case that has grown to include at least ten women and girls.

The latest woman to come forward is in her thirties and contacted police last week reporting Lindberg for pimping.

The case against the ex-chief has also now expanded to involve a further three people suspected of buying sex.

The three men were taken in for questioning by police last Wednesday and were informed that they are suspected of having bought sexual services.

Prosecutor Håkan Roswall has applied and received an extension on the deadline to bring charges, and now has until May 20th.

"I will probably not have time to present charges by then and it will probably happen in the days before midsummer," Roswall told news agency TT.

Göran Lindberg has admitted that he has bought sexual services but denies all other allegations against him. He has been remanded in custody on charges including pimping, aggravated rape, rape and attempting to rape several children.

The investigation is currently focusing on the pimping offences which are alleged to have taken place between 2006 and 2009. The prosecutor has not ruled out that further men will emerge as suspects in the case.

The case against Lindberg has its origin in the investigation into a suspicious death in the suburb of Bredäng, in southern Stockholm, in July 2009 when a 60-year-old man mysteriously fell to his death from a balcony.

Lindberg's name unexpectedly turned up after police launched a preliminary investigation into the suspected murder.

During the investigation police confiscated a computer and a mobile phone which belonged to the deceased 60-year-old.

When investigators examined the contents of the machines and found the names of several men, their suspicions were aroused and they handed the matter over to the Stockholm County police force.

After intense media speculation into Lindberg's links to a purported sex ring, police leading the investigation issued a denial in January that there were further suspects under investigation.

”All the speculation about well-known men in high positions has nothing to do with our investigation," said investigating police officer Jonas Trolle in a statement on January 31st, adding that it was important that the media exercises some restraint.

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