VW diesel process: law enforcement officers demand prison for former VW managers

Almost ten years after the diesel manipulations at Volkswagen have been exposed, the public prosecutor’s office wants prison terms for the scandal, which in their view. According to the law enforcement officers, probation is not sufficient for three of the four defendants, as they made clear in their final plea. The former managers and engineers are guilty of fraud.

The Braunschweig public prosecutor described a long-time head of VW drive technology, a former chief of development of the core brand of VW and a former main department head of diesel engine development and demanded three or four years in prison. In a former department head for diesel exhaust gas cleaning, the accusers see more of an assistant who should be sentenced to probation for two years.

Prosecutors see accused as convicted

The four defendants have been in front of the Commerce Chamber in the Lower Saxony city since September 2021. In the more than four -hour final plea on Friday, the prosecutors referred to the men of fraud with manipulated software in millions of cars.

Three of the accused are responsible for damage of EUR 3.15 billion and 3.65 million cars. Because the fourth defendant was added later, the numbers for him are limited to 1.14 billion euros and 1.49 million affected vehicles. These spent a multiple of the permitted values ​​for harmful nitrogen oxides on the street.

Breaking out the scandal almost ten years ago

The trigger for this huge procedure was now almost ten years ago: In September 2015, it became known in the United States that VW had deployed a deception on a large scale that recognized exhaust gas tests and only then activated the full cleaning of emissions.

The scandal became known worldwide as “diesel gate” and plunged the Wolfsburg carmaker into a deep crisis. The result was countless processes and costs that the group estimates at more than 30 billion euros.

It was originally planned that the former Volkswagen group boss Martin Winterkorn will sit on the dock. However, his process part was separated before the start in September 2021 for health reasons. At the start of his own procedure in September 2024, he denied the allegations and rejected any guilt for the diesel affair. After an accident, the criminal trial against him was postponed again.

The defense lawyer is expected

The trial against the four of the former managers and engineers is to be continued on May 5 (10.30 a.m.). From then on, the defenders are with their plea, which should also take several hours each.