– He finds this incredibly difficult. This applies both to her who passed away, but also in terms of what this has done to his own family, says lawyer Jon Anders Hasle to TV 2.
He is defending the 41-year-old man who has admitted inflicting the injuries on 69-year-old Sukanya Banglek that caused her to die in her own home in Lier last January.
The case comes before the district court in Drammen next week, and only two days have been set aside for the case.
The reason is that the man accused of murder has confessed to all his actions.
Didn’t mean to kill
He only disagrees with the prosecutor on one point, and that is about whether he meant to kill Banglek.
– We are going to argue that it is a case of bodily harm resulting in death, and not a murder committed with intent, says defender Hasle.
THE SCENE: The murder took place in this block of flats in Lier. Photo: Truls Aagedal / TV 2
Whether he is convicted of grievous bodily harm or murder, as the prosecutor wants, could potentially have a lot to say about how long the 41-year-old’s prison sentence is.
It was on the night of Saturday 8 January last year that Banglek, who is a Swedish citizen, was found murdered in his home in Lier between Asker and Drammen.
According to the indictment, she was strangled with two hands, hit in the back of the head with a training manual and kicked in the upper body.
The 69-year-old suffered, among other things, several rib fractures.
The defendant himself called the police and reported himself after the incident.
Meet in a gaming environment
Lawyer Hasle does not want to say anything about what was the motive behind the violent episode that led to Banglek’s death, but says that his client and the 69-year-old had a relationship.
They met each other at a gambling kiosk which they both often visited.
– They have a relationship that originates in a gaming environment, says the lawyer.
DEFENDER: Lawyer Jon Anders Hasle defends the man who denies that he meant to kill the woman. Photo: Tor Henning Flaatten / TV 2
He says that his client has lived a “tidy and ordinary life” before the incident.
– He has been an ordinary citizen who has paid taxes throughout his adult life. He has no affiliation in a criminal environment, he says.
Vibeke Gjone Bille is legal aid for the one son of the deceased. She does not want to comment on the case.
TV 2 has not been able to get a comment from the state attorney who will take the case to court.
