Siegen: Drug wholesaler has "co-punished my family"
One week after the pleas, the verdict of the Siegen Regional Court is to be announced (symbolic image).
Photo: MuLLER, Oliver / WAZ FotoPool
Siegen. It comes down to prison in the Siegen "Enrochat" trial – will the defendant be allowed to return to his family before he is sentenced to prison??
On 8. February, the verdict in the Siegen "Encrochat" trial is to fall, at 2 p.m. Until then, the Chamber will deliberate on the motions, which will be heard on Tuesday, 1. February, in the final presentations were made. Prosecutor Tabea Schneider demands seven and a half years in prison for the defendant’s extensive drug dealings. The defense lawyers come to six years. Both sides plead for drug withdrawal.
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2020 and 2021 bought the accused (28) for the remarkable sum of 768.820 euros drugs in the Netherlands. Predominantly marijuana. The prosecutor calculates more than 100.000 euros profit in addition, subtracts some thousands cash again, which are to be confiscated. Predominantly it proceeds from aid to trade and import, in addition possession and also own acting. Based on the analyzed chats, she also sees a stronger influence on the part of the Siegen man; she also credits him with having practically bought the status of aiding and abetting – because he was "highly conspiratorial" on the road, not only through the particularly securely encrypted "Encrochat" cell phone. He preferred to pay a few euros more and have the goods brought across the border than to expose himself to the risk. But what is "just as reprehensible" for Tabea Schneider.
Lawyer: Siegener wanted to draw a line under his drug past
The prosecutor is not convinced by the defendant’s plea in all cases, but cannot prove much more about him either. Nevertheless, she values his statements as a partial confession and emphasizes that no one should trivialize the acts shortly before a planned legalization of drug use. This kind of action remains punishable.
Defenders see it the same way, but many things are different. For Andreas Trode, the client has dealt with the past in detail and put the truth on the table to close with it. It is still not decided whether the chat logs from the larger Encrochat complex can be used legally at all. Just topically there are again new approaches to undermine the issue. He told the client and advised him to keep quiet, but he wanted to draw a line for himself and his family: "He didn’t want to play tactical games!" The confession is very comprehensive, thus gaining further dimensions and special value. Between August and October 2021, the young man took a relapse prophylaxis course in custody, wants to get away from drugs, go new ways.
Parents of girlfriend want to help with money – defense lawyer sees no danger of flight
Attorney Trode places special emphasis on the warrant issue. Prosecutor wants to keep man in prison. The defense attorney assumes six years – however, there are cases with a higher expected sentence, where the defendants were set free against conditions. The man has a family, a small son, who speaks German, has friends here, is firmly rooted. The client did not want to jeopardize this under any circumstances, but rather to explain the situation to his son carefully.
Trode offered 10 to 20.000 euros, which were guaranteed not to come from drug money. Rather, the girlfriend’s parents, a family of craftsmen, would have agreed to contribute from their savings. This speaks against the risk of escape. In addition, he could look for a new apartment, the current one was much too large. Money was no longer available when the state collected everything.
Girlfriend and sister visibly upset in Siegen district court
His colleague Leis still points out that the client is in any case in drug rehab, the successful completion of which makes a half sentence mandatory. Then there remained three years, minus six months of pre-trial detention, then there would be four months of preparatory detention and two years in the institution. Why would the defendant want to flee there.
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The girlfriend sobs audibly, the sister is also attacked. The defendant himself would like to undo everything, apologizes and knows "that my family is partly punished because of me". He would like to Responsibility for his deeds.