New York prosecutor in charge of the file of the former director of the IMF agreed to his release from house arrest upon personal recognizance. The decision was made by Judge Michael Obus, who ruled at the hearing today. If found not guilty, Dominique Strauss-Kahn can enter the race for presidential elections in France next year.
Releasing Straus-Kahn on personal recognizance is without establishing any obligation or surveillance measures and without paying any bail. Securities worth six million dollars was returned to the accused, but no passport. The next hearing will be held on July 18.
Former Director of the IMF was arrested on May 14 and indicted for sexual assault and attempted rape.
An official involved in the case said that, because of suspicions about the veracity of the maid’s testimony, prosecutors demanded a meeting with Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s lawyers, to learn about new evidence concerning allegations made by the employee of the Hotel Sofitel.
Maid lied under oath
Alleged victim of Dominique Strauss-Kahn made under oath “a false account” of how the sexual assault occurred, by omitting to state that she cleaned another room before denouncing the offense, revealed the case prosecutor.
“The applicant acknowledged in the meantime that her account of the facts was wrong and that after the incident in room 2806, cleaned a neighboring room, then returned to Dominique Strauss-Kahn room and then notified the incident to her supervisor”, prosecutor’s (Cyrus Vance) office said in a statement.
Hopes for acquittal
Dominique Strauss-Kahn “will be acquitted”, said Benjamin Brafman, one of his lawyers, after the hearing during when the former head of IMF was released from house arrest, but without dropping charges against him, according to AFP.
Last elements of the investigation “strengthen our belief that he will be acquitted. It is a great relief”, said Brafman.
On the other hand, the victim’s lawyer, Kenneth Thompson, told the press that she “has not changed a single word” in the declaration of facts that occurred on May 14 in the Sofitel hotel room in Manhattan and assured that they have “material evidence”.