Ole Jakob Raa, attorney at BAHR (→), was the subject of an internal investigation and formally interviewed after being abusive to a colleague whilst working at PwC. Raa threatened the colleague with violence, captured on a speech recording. Raa also admitted to investigators in writing that he put forward false accusations of violence.
Attorney Raa however lied about having repeatedly photographed the same colleague at his desk without consent and saying he would make a collage of the photos.
The BAHR attorney’s lie was revealed by a clear speech recording.
Attorney Raa was repeatedly asked for his comment, but declined to respond.
“Flippant” “jargon” at work to new employee
Attorney-in-training Linn Katrin Hansen (→) shared a desk space at the Oslo offices of PricewaterhouseCoopers with Raa and the new employee. Hansen told psychologist Tor Levin Hofgaard that Raa and herself over time and in concert subjected the colleague to what she called a “flippant” “jargon”.
Hansen explains in the fact-finding interview that several in the division have had a jargon she describes as “flippant”
– Fact-finding report, interview with Linn Katrin Hansen
Raa and Hansen explained that they did this out of concern for the employee, a form of humor not shared with everyone. Neither Raa nor Hansen claimed any indication that it was wanted or returned during the months it persisted. The colleague eventually started writing down some of the statements.
Attorney Raa and Hansen at the same time denied any knowledge of having photographed the colleague without consent at the desk, and stating that a collage would be made out of the pictures.
Fact-finding investigation
After a later stay in Helsinki, where attorney Raa put forward false accusations of violence verbally, in acting and in writing, the false accusations and bullying were both raised through the whistleblowing channel, and a fact-finding investigation launched.
The mandate for the investigation was signed by partner Herman Skibrek and HR Director Kristin Hesla Halvorsen. The investigation was performed by psychologists in Moment Organisasjon og Ledelse AS. One of the investigators was Tor Levin Hofgaard, 12-year president of the Norwegian Psychologist’s Assoication.
The investigation found that Raa had put forward false accusations of violence verbally, in writing and by acting. Raa claimed the false accusations were obviously unrealistic, whilst the fact-finders found the opposite. The recordings can be heard here.
Content of whistleblowing
False accusations of violence wasn’t the only matter investigated in the fact-finding investigation. Raa was additionally interviewed about abusive behavior as reported by the new employee:
The outcome was that I was often tired and distressed. Occasionally I sat at the desk with my head in my hands. Ole Jacob Raa was abusive and did what can be considered bullying in several ways. He repeatedly took pictures of me sitting like that, and it appeared that he walked around and showed them to people and said that I was sleeping at the desk. He said he was making a collage of those pictures, and regularly made abusive and derisive comments. A few of these I stored on the PC or in Google Drive..
Whistleblowing against Ole Jakob Raa
Attorney Raa’s complete denial to investigators
Attorney Raa denied any knowledge of ever having photographed the new employee at his desk and saying he would make a collage out of the photos:
To the accusation from MA that “OJR sometimes slowly stood up behind the separating wall, with his phone held sideways, pointing towards MA, pressed it, sat down and laughed (..), OJR denies that this ever happened.
Interview with attorney Ole Jakob Raa, fact-finding report
PwC attorney-in-training Linn Katrin Hansen lied in formal interviews. Hansens false statements turned out decisive
Raa’s false testimony was supported by attorney-in-training Linn Katrin Hansen, who was assigned a desk next to him. Attorney-in-training Hansen claimed to have never seen or heard anything of the sort:
I have never witnessed OJR taking a photo of MA in any situation.
Interview with attorney-in-training Linn Katrin Hansen
The false testimony of attorney-in-training Linn Katrin Hansen was decisive for the conclusion of the fact-finding investigation:
The investigation has not found on a balance of probability that MA has been photographed as he has described in the whistleblowing. … The investigators have in this context weighted that OJRs testimony of the extent and content of communication with MA, which MA perceived negatively, was supported by LKH.
LKH shared a desk group with MA and OJR in the relevant period and thus witnessed the interaction between them.
Fact-finding report, Moment Organisasjon og Ledelse AS
PwC staffers’ false testimony revealed by speech recording
Both attorney Raa and attorney-in-training Hansen lied – testified falsely to the investigators.
A few days after the report, another speech recording was put forward, where attorney Raa speaks openly about the behavior he was interviewed about and Hansen witnessed. Raa expressly admits that he took photographs at the work desk and said he would make a collage out of them, which he denied to the investigators. Raa says he found the acts “hilarious” (“lættis”). The speech recording is in Norwegian:
Evidence sent to the law firm
The evidence was sent to partner Pål Tangen Heggernes and Board member Cecilie Pande Dramstad Aas in PwC.
The law firm would later protect Raa from a reaction against the false explanation, wrote an internal circular indicating that no such thing ever happened, suppressed the events internally, and demanded silence about the truth.