I, Tjostolvs father, said from day one that this is a robbery. It started with a robbery in the jungle, and when that backfired the criminals went on to plan B. They accused the boys of murder, a murder they had committed themselves to get a payout. Everyone in Congo obviously thinks of white men as walking banks, and took this chance in hopes of a profit. There is a combination of money, lust and a deep hatred of white men. The military was all over this as well, uncritically. They had obviously no experience with investigations. Not in running trials either. One of the judges stated that it was a fair trial, they did have a lawyer. Based on that statement, one can think that it’s not common in Congo to get a lawyer to defend you.
The prosecutors and judges in the trial came across as totally absurd. The prosecutor made some rather racist statements and danced in the courtroom. The “evidence” was photos on uncritical display. The financial demands show that they don’t know the value of money. The “witnesses” made some huge financial demands as well, before their testimonies. They didn’t need to swear in even though they changed their stories 3 times already. At first they said that French shot him between the eyes with a pistol. Then they said that Moland shot him in the neck with a pistol. Then, when they found a shotgun, they claimed that Moland shot him with a shotgun. Based on this they were sentenced to death for murder!
They were also convicted for attempted murder. That must be because the “witness” claimed Moland shot after him. There is no evidence to support that. Death penalty here as well. Then they were sentenced for forming a criminal association. That was based on the company in Uganda, which is a legal company. Again, the death penalty. In the end they really did it: Espionage. That was based on them having ID-cards from the Norwegian defence, compass, maps, GPS and travelling gear. They had a picture of the “chief spy”. This photographer from Drammen! Death penalty again, and hopes of a huge payout from the Norwegian Government. They were also convicted of robbery. I guess they mean the car, but this was a rented car, and they had no other way of escaping. Death penalty too!
The weapons the military sentenced them to death for has never left Norway. The pistol is still in the Norwegian defences’ possession, and the rifle was a softgun which with the serial number is also proved to be in Norway. It is in fact a softgun, that can’t kill anyone. The court was made very aware that the “chief spy” couldn’t be a chief spy. He was even someone who denies the military. Still they used it as evidence in a case with the death penalty!
This is well known to the Foreign Ministry and the Norwegian foreign minister Jonas Gahr Støre!
Tjostolv and Joshua should never have gone to Congo. They were incredibly stupid to take an unknown passenger with them. You never do that in a third world country. They have paid for their mistakes in full. We have all done unfortunate things in our youth, but the consequences are for the most part moderate. In this case the consequences have gone over all proportions.
Knut Moland, October 28th 2009
