‘We’ve appealed the court’s decision and the court agreed with us’, says Marieke van der Molen, spokesperson for the National Prosecution Office, says. ‘We understand that the suspect lodged a cassation appeal against this with the Supreme Court. We’re still waiting on that decision.’ The Supreme Court does not decide whether there is sufficient criminal evidence against Danny von H., but whether the court applied the law correctly.
The OM suspects the former manager of renovating his house and charging it to the university. According to the OM, Von H. charged the RUG with 7,000 euros in renovation costs through Hans G. The court has said that this cannot be proven.
Lawsuit
The court in Almelo has allotted more than two and a half weeks for the case involving Hans G. This week his wife, his son, and his daughter-in-law have testified. Hans G. himself took the stand as a witness. G. has to appear before the court next Monday.
Renovations to Danny von H.’s house were also discussed during the hearings. The judge said it was striking that the manager, who in 2011 had been warned by a business owner that Hans G. was committing invoice fraud, decided to ask Hans G. for help. G. told the judge that Danny von H. gave him large sums of cash for the renovations. He kept that money at home in a money box.
Von H. now works at Strukton, a company that does maintenance work for the university. In his position as assistant manager to the services department, he himself signed the ten-year contract Strukton received in March of 2015 through a European tender procedure. The company does maintenance work for 44 RUG properties in the city centre.
Von H. could not be reached for comment.