The German footballer Jerome Boateng appeared in court in Germany inrespect to an alleged assaultase on his ex-girlfriend in 2018. The former Bayern Munich defender is accused of injuring the mother of his twin daughters, named as Sherin S, during a dispute on holiday.
Jerome Boateng Accused of Assulting his Girlfriend
Prosecutors have accused Jerome Boateng of wilful bodily harm. The 33-year-old has denied the allegations. If convicted, he could be fined or jailed for up to five years. Mr Boateng was escorted by bodyguards as he arrived in court with his lawyer ahead of the trial.
The prosecutors accused him of throwing a lamp and a small cooling box at his former partner during the alleged assault in the Caribbean in July 2018. Boateng allegedly insulted her, hit her and pulled her hair, prosecution spokeswoman Anne Leiding told reporters.
But Jerome Boateng said he did not assault his ex-girlfriend and gave a different version of events. He said he and his ex-girlfriend had an argument after tensions escalated during a game of cards. Boateng said his former partner had become aggressive and insulting, injured his lip and hit him. When he tried to push her away from him, she fell.
He also said he threw a pillow against a table, and the lamp fell to the floor. The court will hear testimony from four witnesses, German TV channel RTL reported. A verdict could be delivered on Thursday, the only scheduled day of proceedings.
The hearing was due to take place in December but was postponed because a witness was unable to appear. The new Lyon player is in the mess because his ex-girlfriend, Kasia Lenhardt, was found dead after taking her own life at a flat in Berlin. Berlin police found her body in February but the player is a bit safe because he was away playing for Bayern when the incident happened.