Clash in the drug underworld: mammoth trial ends with lenient sentences

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The brutal incident took place almost six and a half years ago, and the trial at Leipzig Regional Court had failed twice: on Wednesday, the bench finally announced its verdict on the three defendants. The case concerned a brutal home invasion in Sellerhausen in April 2020, in which a firearm and a machete were used. According to the court, the incident stemmed from a power struggle within the drug underworld.

In the early evening of 2 April 2020, shots rang out from a top-floor flat on Sybelstraße in Leipzig. The victim, who was 19 at the time, suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen and life-threatening injuries to his stomach, liver and gallbladder, but was nevertheless initially able to escape via the roof. The young man survived the attack following emergency surgery.

On Wednesday, the Leipzig Regional Court announced its verdict: Saif F. (30), classified as the principal perpetrator, was sentenced to two years and eight months’ imprisonment. Mohammes Y. (40), who is alleged to have driven the getaway car, received a seven-month suspended sentence. The third defendant, Wael A. (26), was acquitted. Whilst there were indications that he had been in the vicinity of the suspects, there was no conclusive evidence of his involvement in the crime.

Court: It was a brutal and clear demonstration of power

Following months of evidence-taking, the court was absolutely convinced of the attackers’ motive: there was no doubt that a show of force was to take place according to a jointly devised plan, emphasised presiding judge Bernd Gicklhorn. The aim was unambiguously to instil fear in their unwelcome rivals in the drug trade.

On the evening of the attack, the three defendants are alleged to have broken into the flat together with around a dozen other men, with Saif F. having been the shooter, according to the prosecution.

However, he was convicted – against the wishes of the prosecution, which had sought an eight-year prison sentence – not of attempted murder, but of causing grievous bodily harm. The trial was also unable to clarify the exact sequence of events inside the flat; the judge stated that the witness statements were inconsistent and, in some cases, likely untrue. Who fired the shot therefore remains, at the very least, in doubt.

Proceedings against a suspect dropped

The judicial investigation into the brutal incident proved, in general, to be anything but straightforward: an initial attempt failed in autumn 2021 after several months because a lay judge with hearing difficulties was no longer able to follow the proceedings. In early 2022, illness brought the mammoth trial to a halt once again. As a result, arrest warrants against the suspects had to be revoked.

Another alleged participant was no longer to be held to account for the flat raid: his case was dropped because the man is serving a finalised prison sentence of many years for a failed contract killing.

Reduced sentences: defendants benefit from excessively long trial

In his final statement before the verdict, one of the defendants said: “I’m sorry for what happened.”

The court, the prosecution and the defence agreed that the extremely long duration of the proceedings must be taken into account in favour of the defendants when determining the sentence. The presiding judge noted that whilst the fact that the health-related reasons were beyond the control of the judiciary was part of the truth, it was irrelevant to the claim for a reduced sentence.

The verdict is not yet final.