Geneva (AFP)
The Swiss Parliament has lifted the immunity of the outgoing Attorney General, accused of his handling of the resounding corruption scandal of "Fifagate", a decision which opens the way to criminal proceedings.
Michael Lauber, who oversaw proceedings relating to the corruption scandals that have rocked the International Football Federation (Fifa) for several years, is suspected of collusion with Fifa President Gianni Infantino following a series of informal meetings in 2016 and 2017 with the latter.
Cornered by criticism, the Swiss public prosecutor resigned at the end of July while continuing to reject accusations of lying.
He will officially leave his post on August 31.
On Monday, the competent committees of the Federal Chambers lifted the immunity of the high magistrate, stressing in a statement that the acts with which he is accused have "a direct relationship with his official functions and activities".
The waiver of immunity, a condition required for the opening of criminal proceedings against the Attorney General, was requested on July 30 by the extraordinary federal prosecutor of the Confederation, Stefan Keller, appointed on July 3 by the government to examine the criminal complaints against Mr. Lauber and Mr. Infantino.
According to the first conclusions of the extraordinary prosecutor, there are "elements constituting a reprehensible behavior in connection" with the meetings between MM. Infantino and Lauber. The offenses concerned are "abuse of authority, violation of official secrecy, obstruction of criminal proceedings and instigation of these offenses".
The president of Fifa has been since July 30 under criminal proceedings, not enjoying any immunity.
The Swiss prosecution supervisory authority 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 these meetings, explaining that they were intended to show that the international body, 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.
© 2020 AFP