Geneva (AFP)

The head of the Swiss prosecution, blamed for his handling of the resounding corruption scandal known as "Fifagate", resigned Friday after months of twists and turns, while continuing to reject the accusations of lying.

Michael Lauber, suspected of collusion with FIFA president Gianni Infantino following a series of informal meetings in 2016 and 2017 with the latter, said he would submit his resignation "in the interest of the institutions".

The elegant 54-year-old prosecutor, at ease in the spotlight, oversaw proceedings relating to the corruption scandals that have rocked the International Football Federation for several years.

Among his accomplishments was the Zurich police raid on Fifa officials at the Baur au Lac hotel in 2015, the beginnings of the worst corruption scandal in FIFA history. On that date, the organization was chaired by Sepp Blatter.

But the high magistrate was removed in June 2019 from the investigation, then sanctioned for his undeclared contacts and revealed by the media with the successor of Mr. Blatter, Gianni Infantino.

Although re-elected to his post by Swiss parliamentarians in September 2019, Mr. Lauber has faced increased criticism in recent months.

Recently threatened with a possible dismissal by Parliament, he was also sanctioned in March with a reduction in his annual salary by the Swiss Public Prosecutor's Supervisory Authority (AS-MPC), which accused him of having lied and "hindered" the disciplinary investigation against him.

Mr. Lauber had appealed this decision to the Federal Administrative Court (TAF) which however confirmed Friday "essentially" the accusations against him, "in particular with regard to the third meeting with the president of Fifa , considered (...) as a serious violation of the duties of office ".

- "Aberration" -

Stressing that none of the participants of the meeting of June 16, 2017 remember this moment, the TAF emphasizes that "such a case of collective amnesia is an aberration".

The TAF concludes that Mr. Lauber "damaged the reputation" of the federal prosecutor's office and stresses that "he is neither aware of nor convinced of the illegality of his acts". However, the court reduced the salary cut from 8% to 5%.

"I respect the decision of the Federal Administrative Court. However, I continue to firmly reject the accusation of lying," said Mr Lauber in his resignation statement.

The AS-MPC decided in 2019 to open an investigation after revelations by Swiss media on an undeclared meeting in 2017 between MM. Infantino and Lauber. The latter had said he did not remember it. Two first meetings in 2016 between the two men had been revealed by the Football Leaks in 2018.

Fifa has never denied the meetings between the two men, explaining that they were intended to show that the federation, which has the status of complainant in certain procedures, was "ready to collaborate with Swiss justice".

But the legal vagueness in which these meetings took place raises the question of a potential collusion between Fifa and justice.

The resignation of Michael Lauber is far from putting an end to this long judicial soap opera, the Swiss justice having received criminal complaints against MM. Infantino and Lauber.

An extraordinary prosecutor appointed on July 3 must now decide whether there is material to file a request for the opening of criminal proceedings with the competent committees of Parliament.

In total, more than twenty procedures concerning Fifa opened for five years in Switzerland have still not found an epilogue.

© 2020 AFP