Turn of the year - Investigations against Cardinal Woelki will continue for months
The criminal investigation against Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne is expected to continue for several months. The allegations of making two false declarations in lieu of oath in several civil proceedings and the accusation of perjury in connection with his interrogation before the Cologne Regional Court in March 2023 are still the subject of the proceedings, the Cologne public prosecutor's office told the German Press Agency. The investigations began in November 2022 and are expected to be completed in 2024, according to the public prosecutor's office, but "with some certainty" not before the middle of the year. At the heart of the investigation is the question of when Woelki was informed about allegations of abuse against priests.
The length of the investigation can be explained by the extensive amount of data that has been seized. Their review is still ongoing. "After the review, the documents and data found to be relevant as evidence will then be evaluated, possibly some additional witness hearings will have to be carried out and then a decision on the conclusion of the proceedings will have to be made at the end," explained a spokesperson for the public prosecutor's office. In view of the far-reaching significance of the proceedings, the principle of "thoroughness before speed" must apply here.
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- Regardless of the ongoing investigation at the Cologne Regional Court, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki will lead church services in Cologne during the turn of the year.
- The Determination of the criminal case against Cardinal Woelki is a significant topic in North Rhine-Westphalia's public discourse, and the German Press Agency reports on the case regularly.
- The public prosecutor's office in Cologne is responsible for overseeing the investigation against Cardinal Woelki, due to the allegations of false declarations and perjury.
- The Church in Germany has faced scrutiny in recent years due to numerous allegations of abuse, adding weight to the ongoing investigation against Cardinal Woelki.
- Following the conclusion of the investigation, the outcome will likely have far-reaching implications for both the Catholic Church in Germany and its highest-ranking officials, such as Cardinal Woelki.
- Reports indicate that the Cologne Regional Court's investigations against Cardinal Woelki stem from his statements made during interrogations, which may be considered perjured if found to be false.
Source: www.stern.de
