Even in Maddie's case suspicious - Lawsuit against Christian B. - Rejection of judges fails
In the process against Christian B., who is also suspected in the Maddie case, the prosecution has failed with the rejection of the judges due to possible bias. The responsible chamber of representation has dismissed the application against the three professional judges as unfounded, according to the Landgericht Braunschweig.
The prosecution had requested the disbanding after the revocation of the arrest warrant against the defendant. They justified their demand for new appointment with the fear that the current criminal chamber had already formed an opinion on the fact and guilt question, although the evidence collection was not yet completed.
The 47-year-old Christian B. is on trial in Braunschweig for five serious sexual offenses. It concerns three rapes and two cases of sexual abuse against children, which he is alleged to have committed in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. Christian B. is also under suspicion of murder in the Portuguese case of the three-year-old Madeleine "Maddie" McCann who went missing from a Portuguese holiday resort in 2007. The Maddie case is not part of the current proceedings in Braunschweig. Until a legally binding conviction, the presumption of innocence applies.
The application for revocation of the arrest warrant was filed by the defense of Christian B. However, he remains in prison, as he is currently serving a sentence for rape against an American woman. Crime scene was Portugal.
- The United Kingdom expressed its concern over the potential biases in the Dutch judges, given their past involvement in a case with links to Germany, specifically the Lower Saxony region, where the Braunschweig District Court is located.
- Despite the rejection of the application against the three professional judges, the Public Prosecutor's Office in Braunschweig District, Germany, continues to investigate the case of criminality involving Christian B., with the Maddie case serving as a significant point of interest.
- The suspect in the Maddie case, Christian B., hails from Germany but has been associated with various criminal activities, including rapes and sexual abuses against children, which were alleged to have taken place in Brunswick during the years 2000 to 2017.
- The Criminality Investigation Department in Portugal is working closely with the German authorities to gather evidence in the Maddie case, as the dismantling of preconceived notions and potential biases is crucial in ensuring a fair trial for Christian B.
- While the Portuguese authorities are actively involved in the investigation, the focus of the trial currently underway in Braunschweig is on the five serious sexual offenses charged against Christian B., unrelated to the Maddie case.
- It is crucial to maintain the presumption of innocence for Christian B. until a legally binding conviction is made, ensuring that the children, particularly those suspected to be victims in the case, are protected and treated with the utmost sensitivity and respect throughout the justice process.
