Justice - Trial against ATM burglar - proceedings severed
In the labor-intensive process against an alleged gang of ATM bombers, the proceedings against one defendant are being separated. The reason being, the defendant has not spoken out regarding the charges against him yet, and the proceedings against him may therefore last longer, explained a spokesperson for the Bamberg Regional Court.
However, the process for the other 15 defendants could reportedly come to an end soon. Thirteen defendants have reportedly reached a plea bargain with the court. The defendants have reportedly confessed to the charges. In return, the court, defendants, and prosecution have agreed on an upper and lower limit for the prison sentences. One defendant had already confessed previously, so there is no formal plea bargain for him.
The prosecution accuses the 16 men, who are from the Netherlands and Belgium, of bombing ATMs across Germany, particularly in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, to obtain cash. The method is said to resemble "mafia structures," according to the indictment. The proceeds are said to exceed 3.3 million Euros. The damage caused by the explosions is said to be even higher: over 5.5 million Euros. Since investigators have also attributed cases in Zapfendorf and Forchheim in Upper Franconia to the defendants, the case came before the court in Bamberg.
Due to the large number of parties involved - 16 defendants, numerous defense attorneys, and interpreters - the trial is being held in a sports hall on the Bundespolice training ground in Bamberg. The separated trial against one defendant is now expected to resume in the rooms of the Regional Court from July 22, and the trial against the other defendants from July 23 on the Bundespolice training ground. The costs are immense: In addition to the hearing days, the defendants must be transported from various prisons throughout Bavaria to Bamberg, accompanied by numerous police officers.
The pleadings were expected for this Wednesday's court day. However, one defense attorney filed another motion, so the closing arguments for 15 of the defendants are not expected until the next court day at the earliest.
- Despite the separation of proceedings for one defendant due to his silence, justice requires that the entire process against the alleged ATM bombers, including defendants from Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg in Germany and Upper France, is meticulously followed by the Bamberg Regional Court.
- The public prosecutor's office in Bamberg has reportedly allocated significant expenditure towards ensuring a fair court process, considering the complexities of transporting defendants from various prisons in Bavaria and securing the vast Bundespolice training ground.
- With the majority of the 16 defendants reaching plea bargains, it seems that justice in Bavaria is finding a balance between expediency and thorough investigation, as the crimes committed resemble organized crime structures akin to those in Bavaria or elsewhere in Germany, such as those in Baden-Württemberg.
- The court proceedings against the ATM bombers in Bamberg, including those who confessed in Bavaria and those in the upper limit of the prison sentence agreed upon, underscore the importance of justice being served equally, regardless if the defendants are from Netherlands or Belgium.
- The justice system in Bavaria will continue to diligently work on these high-profile crime cases, ensuring that all expenditure and procedures, in line with the German legal system, are conducted with utmost importance, even if the proceedings against one defendant may prolong the justice process.
