Former international player in court: Trial against Boateng continues – end in sight?

The Munich I Regional Court will continue to hear allegations of violence against former national player Jérôme Boateng this Friday (10 a.m.). In what is now the fourth trial, the lengthy proceedings could be coming to an end. Presiding Judge Susanne Hemmerich had asked the public prosecutor, the co-plaintiff and the defense to prepare for the closing arguments.

If this happens, the verdict could be handed down on the next day of the trial next week. However, other witnesses were summoned first. The mother of the former FC Bayern player will not testify in court as originally planned, a justice spokesman confirmed. The “Bild” newspaper had previously reported that she wanted to exercise her right to refuse to testify as the defendant’s mother and was therefore dismissed.

Lengthy procedure

Boateng’s ex-girlfriend accuses him of violence during a Caribbean vacation they took together; the corresponding proceedings against the long-time defender of FC Bayern Munich, who just moved from the Italian club US Salernitana to Linzer ASK in Austria, are dragging on for a long time. The Munich District Court had already imposed a fine on Boateng in 2021: 60 daily rates of 30,000 euros each, a total of 1.8 million euros.

In October 2022, the Munich I Regional Court sentenced Boateng in the second instance for bodily harm and insult to a fine of 120 daily rates of 10,000 euros each – a total of 1.2 million euros. But the Bavarian Supreme Regional Court overturned the verdict due to consistent legal errors.

Accusation: Violence on Caribbean vacation

The allegations at the core of the case date back years: Boateng’s ex-girlfriend accuses him of attacking her on a Caribbean vacation in 2018. She said that the now 35-year-old threw a lantern and a cooler bag at her. Later, he spat at her, pulled her hair, hit her in the face with both hands and bit her on the head. She cut herself on the broken glass of the lantern and suffered bruises and abrasions. He threatened her that he would make sure their children were put in a home if she reported him for the incident.

Boateng had already denied the accusations of his ex-partner at the beginning of the new proceedings. He stated that he had only defended himself against an attack by his then partner during his Caribbean vacation and had pushed her away. He apologized for this pushing. In his detailed statement to the court, he spoke of a “nightmare” and denied the accusations of violence.

Most recently, a renewed agreement process between the prosecution, the defense and the civil party, which could have led to an earlier end to the trial, failed.