The main hearing on the Vårdexpressen affair lasted a total of 13 days in the Court of Appeal and ended on March 3. Shortly thereafter, the defense submitted its invoices to the Court of Appeal.
In an opinion to the Court of Appeal, prosecutor Thomas Forsberg wants to haggle down the requested fees. He highlights, among other things, that lawyer Christina Bergenstein has worked unusually long working days with several cases at the same time.
16-hour workday
On September 28, 2022, Bergenstein reports 8 hours of preparation and a lengthy meeting with her client, bribery suspected CEO Damon Tojjar. On the same day, she also reports 8 hours of work for a case in Stockholm District Court. According to the two bills, she allegedly had a working day totaling 16 hours.
On December 8, 2022, she will meet with Tojjar's other lawyer, Staffan Bergqvist, for further review of evidence. For that, she sets up 7 hours. On the same day, she also appears for another main hearing in Nacka District Court. For that work, she sets up 7 hours plus a return drive between the district court and the office in 1.5 hours. All in all, it will be a working day of 15 hours and 30 minutes.
No Comments
The prosecutor believes that Bergenstein's total working hours per day are unreasonable. He also believes that the reports lack precise time indications for each work effort, which makes it difficult to assess and control the data.
When SVT asks Christina Bergenstein how she explains her long working hours, she has no comment but writes that she will speak to the court.
Conny Cedermark is also to submit his comments to the court "and does not want to pre-empt it in the media". Monique Carden says she will respond to the prosecutor's comments as soon as she has received them. Staffan Bergqvist has not yet returned with any comment.
Judgment in the Court of Appeal case will be handed down on Friday, March 31.
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In the video you get the whole tangle around Vårdexpressen – explained in 60 seconds. Photo: SVT