In the appeal trial against suspended Lycée de Clervaux principal Jean Billa, who is charged with illegal weapons possession, the Diekirch prosecutor has requested a €2,000 fine.

In January, the Diekirch court approved the suspension of Jean Billa, principal of the Clervaux secondary school. He received neither a sentence nor a criminal-record entry, on the condition that he commit no further offences. However, the Diekirch public prosecutor's office lodged an appeal.

During a search of the Lycée de Clervaux, police had found a butterfly knife in a cupboard that likely belonged to a student. A later search of Billa's home, which was sparked by allegations of drug possession and a respective denunciation by the Education Ministry, had then uncovered several rifles Billa inherited from his late mother that had not been declared, despite him holding a firearms licence.

The principal argued he had planned to hand the firearms over to police officers who attended his crime-scene photography classes, but that this never happened as the final session before the searches was cancelled.

This was his mistake, Billa recalled on Monday afternoon in front of the court. But he had nothing to do with the knife in the school cupboard, Billa's lawyer stated. The line of defence was that the knife was likely left by his predecessor, from whom he inherited the office.

"My client is being publicly dragged through this court", the lawyer argued, adding that even the Caritas affair had caused less of an uproar.

The Diekirch prosecutor rejected the defence's remarks, noting that it would be "hardly reassuring" for parents to know a weapon of this kind could be found inside the school. Given that Billa holds a firearms licence, he should know the rules on declaring weapons, which he failed to do for those he inherited, according to the prosecution.

The fine now sought in the appeal trial of the suspended principal of Clervaux Lycée is €2,000.

The Diekirch prosecutor's office meanwhile confirmed that the investigation into Billa's supposed drug possession has been closed and the allegations were not upheld. Still ongoing is an investigation into alleged misappropriation of funds, triggered by a second denunciation from the Education Ministry, a case that remains with the investigating judge.

The verdict in the appeal trial will be announced on 3 December.