The woman was found guilty of forcing at least 13 women and three men to prostitute themselves in an apartment in Luxembourg between June 2014 and June 2016. She is to have taken advantage of their precarious situations, as some of them only had a three-month residence permit.
The courts found the man guilty of renting her the apartment in full knowledge of what was going on. He is to have benefited financially by receiving at least €1,400 per month, with the victims paying the woman €100-300 rent per week.
The man stated that he had been unaware of the illegal proceedings, but that he tried to remove the tenants upon finding out. For her part, the woman explained that she was neither aware that these people did not have valid papers or that prostitution was prohibited in Luxembourg.
The male defendant appealed this decision in December and the second trial was held on Friday morning at the Court of Appeals. The 66-year-old man reiterated his innocence, maintaining that he was dragged into this case because of the woman’s alleged acts alone.
The defendant's lawyer supported his client’s statements that he had been unaware of what was really going on inside his two apartments, which were leased according to regulations. After hearing from others that his property was used for prostitution, he tried to have the woman and all others removed, without success. According to the lawyer, his client should be acquitted.
The prosecution did not share the same view and according to the prosecutor, there was no doubt that, despite his denials, investigations proved the opposite. If it had only been the woman’s word against his, she might have believed him, however the record showed clear and coherent statements of the contrary. In light of this evidence, the first judgement against the defendant should be reconfirmed.
The judgement on appeal will be pronounced on 25 June.
