Aargau orders external review of abuse case

The canton of Aargau and the municipality of Untersiggenthal have commissioned an external investigation into whether authorities made mistakes in handling a case involving an alleged former politician who is accused of sedating two women and a girl and sexually abusing two of them, SRF reported.

The review is expected to determine by spring 2027 whether authorities made wrong decisions and how victim protection can be improved. The tender for the investigation is due to be issued by the end of August.

The case became public in July and involves a former Aargau member of the cantonal parliament from the Swiss People’s Party. Prosecutors allege that he repeatedly sedated his former wife, his former partner and her underage daughter with knockout drops and sexually abused two of them. Several of the alleged offences were filmed. The accused has been in pre-trial detention since autumn 2023. The prosecution is seeking a life sentence. The presumption of innocence applies.

The mother and daughter, who are from Poland, met the accused while on holiday and later entered into a relationship with him. He employed the mother as a housekeeper, allowing her to obtain a residence permit. After his arrest, she lost her job, and the two women turned to the social welfare authority in Untersiggenthal, their municipality of residence.

Instead of social assistance, the municipality initially granted them emergency aid and reported them to the migration authority. Media reports criticised the authorities’ handling of the victims, saying they had been threatened with deportation rather than receiving support.

Aargau government councillor Dieter Egli told SRF that the authorities had probably acted within the law, but that it was necessary to examine whether mistakes had been made. He said the victims had not received the help they should have received. The review will also consider whether the authorities had the necessary information when making their decisions and whether changes to the legal framework are needed at cantonal or federal level.

Untersiggenthal mayor Adrian Hitz said the municipality wanted to examine how procedures could be improved while complying with legal requirements.

After the case became known, the canton granted the mother and daughter social assistance retroactively instead of only emergency aid. Proceedings concerning their residence permits are continuing independently of the review and are currently before the administrative court.