The court case involving former German national team and Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng recently ended with a sentence, bringing to an end years of litigation over domestic violence accusations. On July 19, Boateng was found guilty of causing bodily harm to his former partner and was given a suspended fine and a warning.
The judge, Susanne Hemmerich, ruled that Boateng will have to pay a fine of 200,000 euros if he commits a new offense. In addition, he will have to pay 50,000 euros to two children’s charities as compensation. During the trial, the judge stressed that the real victims of this affair are the couple’s children, thus calling for them to be protected from the media whirlwind surrounding the affair.
This is the fourth time that Boateng has appeared in court on charges of violence against his former partner, Sherin Senler. Boateng has always denied the charges against him. The charges against Boateng date back to 2019, when Senler accused him of assaulting her during a vacation in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The case has experienced several twists and turns, with a first conviction in September 2021 accompanied by a record fine of 1.8 million euros, followed by a second conviction annulled in November 2022 due to legal errors. In addition, Boateng is also the target of allegations of assault against another ex-partner, Kasia Lenhardt.
The investigation was initially closed in 2020 following the death of Lenhardt, a model, found dead in an apartment in Berlin. Authorities have not found evidence of outside intervention. However, new information was provided by the police, thus reopening the case.
Despite these accusations, Boateng continued his football career and joined Austrian team LASK. This case once again highlights the importance of tackling domestic violence and protecting victims, particularly the children involved. Hopefully this conclusion will serve to raise awareness of these issues and encourage preventive measures.