Expert explains how fabricated abuse claims led to wrongful convictions

A Swiss mother and her husband spent 684 days in prison after being convicted of sexually abusing and using violence against the woman’s 14-year-old daughter. The convictions were later overturned after the daughter, now 19, admitted that she had invented the allegations, SRF reported.

Monika Egli-Alge, founder of the Forio Institute, said errors can occur because forensic assessments of the credibility of testimony are not an exact science.

Two courts had convicted the mother and stepfather. A team of four experts had initially assessed the girl’s allegations as credible, but neither prosecutors nor the external experts recognised that the claims were false.

The younger children were placed outside the family home as a result of the allegations. The girl herself faced no consequences: according to the Tages-Anzeiger, youth criminal proceedings for making false accusations, misleading the administration of justice and unlawful deprivation of liberty were discontinued in spring 2025 because the five-year limitation period under Swiss youth criminal law had expired.

How credibility assessments work

Egli-Alge said prosecutors and courts are responsible for establishing the truth but call in experts when they are unsure whether testimony is based on an actual experience. Experts examine the alleged victim’s statements for credibility and assess whether their quality differs from statements based on real experiences or from lies.

Such assessments are complex, she said. False allegations of sexual violence are relatively rare. Older studies from Germany found false statements in the single-digit percentage range, while the Forio Institute’s experience also indicated a relatively low rate.

In the case reported by the Tages-Anzeiger, the courts relied on a 220-page assessment that cost 39,000 Swiss francs and was prepared by four experts.

The case is expected to cost Zurich taxpayers more than 340,000 francs in legal, court and expert fees already incurred. Lawyers for the mother and stepfather have also sought 240,000 francs in compensation for their imprisonment.

Interviews with minors

In Switzerland, trained police officers conduct interviews with alleged victims under the Code of Criminal Procedure. The interviews are recorded, and alleged victims may be interviewed twice.

Egli-Alge said professional interviews were generally conducted with alleged victims, particularly children and teenagers. From the perspective of forensic psychology, limiting the number of interviews was beneficial because each additional interview generated more statements about the same event, which tended to make assessments more difficult.

Experts use various other analyses and procedures to examine statements. However, Egli-Alge said the psychology of testimony and credibility assessments were not exact sciences, meaning that errors in evaluation could occur.