A police officer is said to have cheated on a cancer patient for about 83,000 euros, for whom he actually wanted to care? This case is handled by the Würzburg District Court.
Würzburg – The sporty, bald man spoke directly. The police officer accused before the Würzburg District Court seriously denied that he had ripped off his terminally ill landlord.
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A police officer charged with fraud and drug possession is waiting in the meeting room for the trial to begin. © dpa / Nicolas Armer
The 42-year-old went far to the start of the trial on Wednesday to refute the allegations of fraud. Nevertheless, after his one and a half hour testimony, essential questions remained unanswered.
The public prosecutor’s office accuses the policeman from Lower Franconia of abusing the trust of the man suffering from cancer who lived one floor above him and who had a walking disability. Under a pretext, he got the alleged victim to hand him money over and over again for months. In total, it is a sum of 83,000 euros. According to the indictment, the man acted “deliberately untruthful.”
The defendant himself told a completely different story. “I deny all of that,” said the 42-year-old. Over the years, he made friends with his landlord, who otherwise had few visitors. After his cancer diagnosis, he visited him regularly in the hospital, accompanied him to his doctors and organized a nursing service.
He later gave him his medication every day and even significantly reduced his police work for it. “I took care of all the stuff,” said the suspended policeman. After all, no one else was there for the sick man.
The defendant, who had a power of attorney and account authorization issued, admitted that he received around 50,000 euros from his landlord, who has since died. However, he did not put the money in his own pocket, but used it to pay for medication and settle bills.
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The presiding judge Mark Kurzawski (left) looks when entering the meeting room in the direction of the policeman accused of fraud and drug possession. © dpa / Nicolas Armer
If the patient’s apartment had to be converted later, he also wanted to finance it. In addition, he should have repeatedly paid out money to the husband’s wife in small tranches. There are no receipts for this. At first it was also unclear what happened to the remaining money that the alleged victim withdrew from the ATM.
During the trial, prosecutor Tobias Knahn accused the police officer of deliberately tricking the landlord, whose condition continued to deteriorate, into paying pain medication and expenses for long-term care and health insurance.
Instead, he kept the money and kept it in a locker. “I definitely didn’t ask him for any money,” said the 42-year-old.
For the presiding judge, Mark Kurzawski, a crucial question remained unanswered on the first day of the trial: Why did the landlord, who has since passed away, even report to the police about fraud when the two were so close. Prosecutor Knahn added that this was a remarkable “change in personality”.
The police officer is also charged with buying 200 grams of marijuana and possessing around 170 grams of hashish. “I fully admit that,” said the 42-year-old, explaining that his landlord’s illness had put an enormous strain on him. “I’ve never been through anything like that in my life.”
Six days are scheduled for the trial before a lay judge. The verdict is to be announced on November 18.
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