The initial "Bruddermord" (brother murder) trial concerned events dating back to December 2014. The assailant had poisoned his 30-year-old disabled brother and then set fire to his apartment. Once the fire had been extinguished, the brother's corpse was discovered.
The assailant was sentenced to life in 2017 for having murdered his brother. The ongoing trial on Wednesday concerns events surrounding a 37-year-old, who had already been sentenced to two years in prison for having provided the murderer with a false alibi and also having given him access to his car - eventually used as a getaway vehicle.
Now, the accomplice is in court for abuse of weakness regarding the mother of the murderer (and his deceased brother). He stands accused of having taken advantage of her and stolen around €515,000 from her between July 2015 and February 2017.
According to the police investigator, the victim had filed a formal complaint in January 2017, as she had inherited €550,000, but only had €7,000 left. The woman and the defendant had grown very close over the years, so much so that, following the events of 2014, she had considered him to be her only remaining child. He in turn attempted to get closer to her as he knew she had received the inheritance of her deceased son. Despite the woman being in a vulnerable state, and even though he had clear motives of taken advantage of her, she was keen to take him under her wing. The police officer described the defendant's actions of having used her as a "piggybank with two legs".
A psychiatrist met with the woman three times and explained that she had been taken under guardianship in 2009, having already been used by a previous partner. The woman had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder as well as alcoholism for a time. As a result, the psychiatrist concluded that the woman was incredibly vulnerable, and the defendant had known this. The woman had wanted to help the defendant, but became aware of his exploitive intentions in 2016.
On his part, the defendant spoke of false accusations. The lawyer representing the victim requested repayment of the stolen €515,000 for his client as well as €25,000 in damages.
The trial will come to an end on Thursday afternoon.
