He was thrown in jail and fined for weapon possession after peeling an apple
with a pocket knife on a bench in a grave yard. After a court case, he was
finally acquitted.
The Oslo police department did not get much out of the apple case against
the taxi driver Sverre Moen except maybe the apple core.
It all started May 6 of this year when 50-year-old Moen was enjoying his
lunch on a bench in Vestre Gravlund in Oslo and peeled an apple with a knife.
«When I was hurrying off to the car to make the appointment with a
physically disabled customer, two police officers suddenly jumped out of
their car,» Moen explained to TV 2 Nettavisen.
The police claimed that Moen looked suspicious, and put him in cuffs when
they discovered that Moen had a pocket knife.
Jailed
He was taken to Majorstua police station, where he was
frisked and thrown in jail.
«I was allowed to make a call to the switchboard to inform that I could not
pick up the physically challenged people who were waiting for me,» Moen
said. «After four hours they came and said that I was released. I was handed
a fine of NOK 6,000 (USD 880) for carrying a weapon in a public place, my
pocket knife, that is. I know the law, but it’s not made for the people who
peel apples is it.»
Moen, who works as a driver and drives physically challenged people and
social security recipients to their appointments in Oslo, thanks his
colleagues in the firm Gode Busser AS for helping him to take the case to
court.
«If I had not worked for such nice people who promised to pay the lawyer’s
bill, I would not have able to,» Moen explained.
Traumatic
Moen is pleased by his victory, but he admits that the
incident has weighed heavy on his mind during the summer.
«The hours in jail was actually so traumatic that I had to see a doctor,»
Moen said. «Today, I thank my wife for all the support.»
The case started in Oslo county court Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, Moen
finally got the verdict; acquitted.
Never peel an apple again
«I’m pleased and happy,» Moen said.
«Much has become backwards in Norway, but this indicates that there actually
is justice in this country after all.»
He even got his knife back, but he has decided not to peel an apple in
public ever again.
«No, I’ll eat the apple with the peel on after this,» Moen concluded.
bil/caravan
