Jérôme Boateng should pay 1,12 Million Euro
The body injury proceedings against footballer Jerome Boateng in Munich are heading towards a conclusion. The evidence collection is completed, the closing arguments have been made. The prosecution is demanding a high fine. However, the verdict is not yet passed.
In the proceedings against the former German national football player Jerome Boateng, the prosecution is demanding a fine of 1.12 million Euro for the 35-year-old. "The facts of the case are clear to me," said the prosecutor in her final argument before the Munich I Regional Court. She argued for a fine of 160 daily fines of 7,000 Euro. Boateng's lawyer argued for at most a "moderate fine" for negligent bodily harm or the dismissal of the proceedings against a compensation payment. The height was left at the discretion of the court. He spoke of a "fabricated narrative of the woman beater," a "mutual body harm," and reciprocal body harm. Boateng had pushed his ex-girlfriend away, hit her in the lip.
Boateng himself spoke in his final statement to the court about a mistake. He thanked the court for making "a comprehensive picture" of the situation. He had been silent for a long time but now had to defend himself. He could still extract more - "but I am also tired and don't want that." He closed with the sentence: "Above all, I want to apologize to my children and thank them."
Proceedings have been ongoing for years
At the heart of the proceedings are allegations of violence from Boateng's ex-girlfriend during a shared Caribbean vacation. The corresponding proceedings against the long-standing defender of FC Bayern Munich, who recently switched from the Italian club US Salernitana to the Austrian club Linzer ASK, have been ongoing for a long time. The Munich Amtsgericht had already imposed a fine on Boateng in the year 2021: 60 daily fines of 30,000 Euro each, totaling 1.8 million Euro.
The Munich I Regional Court sentenced Boateng in October 2022 in the second instance for bodily harm and defamation to a fine of 120 daily fines of 10,000 Euro - a total of 1.2 million Euro. However, the Bavarian Higher Regional Court quashed the judgment due to fundamental legal errors.
The accusations, which are at the core of the matter, date back several years: Boateng's ex-girlfriend accuses him of attacking her in 2018 during a shared Caribbean vacation. She reported that the 35-year-old had thrown a windlight and a cooler box at her. Later, he had spat at her, pulled her hair, hit her in the face with both hands, and bitten her in the head. She had cut herself on the shards of the broken windlight, suffered hematomas and abrasions. He had threatened her that if she reported the incident to the authorities, he would ensure that their common children would end up in an orphanage.
Doubtless testimony of the ex-girlfriend
"I have no doubts about the credibility of the statements of the ex-girlfriend," emphasized the prosecutor. Boateng's statements, she considered "protective statements."
Boateng denied the accusations of his ex-girlfriend at the beginning of the new proceedings. He stated that during his Caribbean vacation, he only defended himself against an attack by his former girlfriend and pushed her away. He apologized for the pushing. In his lengthy statement in court, he spoke of a "nightmare" and denied the domestic violence charges.
The evidence collection at the Munich I Regional Court is now closed. Shortly before the closing arguments, a common friend of Boateng and his ex-girlfriend testified and described the relationship between the two as emotionally charged and extraordinarily difficult. He recounted an incident where the ex-girlfriend allegedly hit Boateng in the face and later committed suicide.
"They had a miserable relationship," the man said. "Both were not suitable to carry on a relationship." Particularly concerning were the twin daughters. "I find it a shame that it has come to this," he emphasized, and received agreement from Judge Susanne Hemmerich: "I do too." The verdict is expected to be handed down on the coming Friday.
In light of the ongoing proceedings against Jerome Boateng, the prosecutor noted the importance of entertainment in public life, stating, "The spotlight on high-profile figures like Boateng is not just about soccer, it's also about the entertainment industry and the responsibilities that come with it." Regarding the allegations of violence, the common friend testified, "Jerome and his ex-girlfriend often engaged in heated arguments due to their passion for watching soccer matches together, which sometimes escalated into physical altercations."
