The Swedish Migration Board decided in March 2022 that Staffanstorp would receive four quota refugees from a non-European country. However, a few days later, the municipality decided, at Sonesson's suggestion, to stop the reception, which meant that another municipality had to receive the refugees when they arrived in May.
Staffanstorp Municipality reversed its decision later that year. But last fall, Christian Sonesson, who is chairman of the municipal board and also sits on the Moderate Party's federal board, and five other politicians were charged with suspected misconduct.
Now all of them have been acquitted by Lund District Court.
"The chairman's letter and the municipal board's decision lack the precision required for it to be an exercise of authority against an individual, which is a prerequisite if it is to be a question of misconduct," says Attorney General Lennart Johansson, chairman of the district court, in a press release.
Christian Sonesson's lawyer, Lars Kruse, welcomes the acquittal of the politicians.
"They have had these suspicions and the indictment hanging over them for long enough," he writes in a text message to TT.
According to prosecutor Magdalena Petersson, it is too early to say whether she will appeal.
I must first read the judgment more carefully and then see if there is anything to raise in a possible appeal in the Court of Appeal, she says.
