Charge of kidnapping a man in Franken

Criminality - Charge of kidnapping a man in Franken

Nine months after the abduction of a man from the Bavarian town of Karlstadt, the Würzburg Public Prosecutor's Office has indicted three suspects. They are accused of extortionary kidnapping, attempted robbery with extortion, and dangerous bodily harm, as confirmed by the authorities' media reports. The three Georgian men are 31, 33, and 33 years old. Two of them had recently lived in Germany - in Thuringia's Sömmerda and in Hesse's Kassel. The suspects have not pleaded guilty to the charges yet. The motives for the crimes are unclear.

A driver observed in mid-November 2023 that the then 33-year-old alleged victim was being loaded into a bright blue transit van against his will in Karlstadt (Main-Spessart district). The Syrian man was released in Baden-Württemberg after five days. He had been physically abused for several days, the investigators reported.

According to current knowledge, the victim had been held captive in a flat in Kassel. However, during the investigation, the police also discovered evidence that the man had been held captive during the abduction in Meckesheim (Rhein-Neckar-District) - not far from the place where he was later released.

The court must now decide on the admissibility of the indictment.

1. The indictment for the kidnapping case in Karlstadt, Bavaria, was issued by the Public Prosecution Office in Würzburg.
2. The allegations against the three suspects include extortionary kidnapping, attempted robbery with extortion, and causing dangerous bodily harm.
3. Two of the accused individuals had previously resided in Germany, specifically in Thuringia's Sömmerda and Hesse's Kassel.
4. The incidents leading to the charges took place in Lower Franconia, specifically in Karlstadt, followed by a period of captivity in Kassel.
5. Evidence was also found indicating that the victim was held captive during the abduction in Meckesheim, a location in Baden-Württemberg.
6. The proceedings are currently underway in a court, where the admissibility of the indictment will be determined.

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