Swiss parliament picks special prosecutor for FIFA case duty

BERN, Switzerland, Sept 23, (AP): The Swiss parliament appointed special prosecutor Stefan Keller on Wednesday to investigate former attorney general Michael Lauber for his meetings with FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Criminal proceedings were opened against Infantino in July when Keller said he found “elements that make up reprehensible behavior” linked to meetings with Lauber in 2016 and 2017.

Swiss lawmakers had previously met Keller’s request to lift the immunity from prosecution from which Lauber had benefited in the job he left last month.

In a vote Wednesday, lawmakers confirmed Keller as the only candidate for the investigative role over Lauber, who led a long-running and ongoing series of criminal proceedings linked to international soccer officials.

Lauber was recused from the FIFA investigation last year and disciplined in March amid fallout from media reports which revealed the Infantino meetings where neither took notes. Both have said they cannot recall details of their June 2017 meeting.

Lauber now faces questioning for potential abuse of public office and breach of official secrecy.

Infantino and a Swiss regional prosecutor, his childhood friend Rinaldo Arnold, are suspected of inciting Lauber. They all deny wrongdoing.