The new Lyon defender Jerome Boateng appeared before the Munich Court (southern Germany) to be tried for assault on the mother of his two children, in events dating back to 2018.
Boateng, 33, a pillar of Bayern Munich for the last decade, arrived at the hearing at 10:00 a.m. local time (08:00 GMT) accompanied by his lawyer Kai Walden, an AFP journalist confirmed
His former partner accuses him of hurting him during a violent dispute three years ago on vacation.
The maximum penalty for acts of this nature is five years in prison. The verdict could be announced from this Thursday.
Anne Leiding, spokeswoman for the Munich prosecutor, took the floor to read the facts contained in the indictment.
«M. Boateng first threw (the victim) a flashlight, insulted her and threw a portable cooler at her that hit her in the upper right part of her body, injuring her, “he said.
“He then moved away and then returned against her, insulted her again, hit her and pulled her arm,” added the spokeswoman, specifying that these elements are only part of the accusation and that the debates should begin on Thursday to “clarify what happened, whether all this corresponds to reality or not.
Boateng responded to the allegations for nearly two hours. According to his version, it was his partner who was aggressive and even damaged his lip with a blow. “I was not violent, I did not attack her,” he said.
The alleged victim maintained his version: “He put his thumb in my eye, bit my head and threw me by the hair to the ground.”
– Private life in the spotlight –
According to the German press, the events occurred during a vacation in the Caribbean, in July 2018, just after the elimination of Germany in the first round of the World Cup in Russia.
The 33-year-old footballer left Bayern Munich a few weeks ago, with which he has accumulated a large number of titles, including two Champions League titles, to play for Lyon.
Boateng has not played for the German national team since 2019, when then-coach Joachim Low decided to stop calling him. On his first list, last week, Hansi Flick didn’t call him either.
Boateng’s private life attracts a lot of attention in Germany, both in the gossip press and on social media.
At the beginning of the year the player experienced a drama because his last girlfriend, Kasia Lenhardt, whom he had left a few days before, was found dead in her Berlin apartment. The justice concluded that it was a suicide.
Boateng was in Qatar with Bayern Munich for the Club World Cup and immediately returned to Germany. AFP (HN)