Jerome Boateng trial: Prosecutor demands million-dollar fine | STERN.de

In the trial against former national soccer player Jérôme Boateng, the public prosecutor is demanding a fine of 1.12 million euros for the 35-year-old. “For me, the facts are clear,” said the public prosecutor in her closing argument before the Munich I Regional Court. She called for a fine of 160 daily rates of 7,000 euros. The lawyer for Boateng’s ex-girlfriend, who accuses him of violence, said: “It’s a real David versus Goliath fight.” Boateng shows “no sense of wrongdoing.”

Boateng’s defense demanded at most a “moderate fine” for negligent bodily harm or the termination of the proceedings in return for a fine. Boateng’s lawyer left the amount to the discretion of the court. He spoke of an “invented narrative by the wife beater,” a “scuffle that was to be expected by both sides” and mutual bodily harm. Boateng had pushed his ex-girlfriend away and she had injured his lip.

Boateng: “I’m tired too”

Boateng himself spoke of a mistake in his final statement in court. He thanked the court for getting an “overall picture” of the situation. He had been silent for a long time, but now he had to defend himself. He could go on – “but I’m also tired and don’t want to do that.” He concluded with the sentence: “First and foremost, I would like to apologize to my children and I thank them.”

At the center of the proceedings are allegations of violence made by Boateng’s ex-girlfriend during a joint Caribbean vacation. 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.

The prosecutor stressed that she had “no doubt” about the credibility of the ex-girlfriend’s statements. She described Boateng’s accounts, however, as “defensive claims”.

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.

“Miserable relationship”

Shortly before the closing arguments, a mutual acquaintance of Boateng and his ex-girlfriend testified and described the relationship between the two as emotionally charged and extremely difficult. He also described an incident in which the ex-partner kicked Boateng in the face and later fell herself.

The two had “a miserable relationship,” said the man. “Neither of them were suited to having a relationship.” This was a terrible development, especially with regard to the twin daughters. “I think it’s a shame that it’s come to this,” he stressed, and received agreement from Judge Susanne Hemmerich: “Me too.” The verdict is now due to be handed down on Friday next week.