End of a criminal case that had been going on for three and a half years under high security precautions.
The Berlin regional court has acquitted rapper Bushido’s ex-manager of the main allegations. After around three and a half years of negotiations, the judges on Monday did not consider it proven that the 47-year-old wanted to blackmail the musician into paying millions. They sentenced Arafat Abou-Chaker, who is considered the Berlin clan boss, to a fine of 81,000 euros (90 daily rates of 900 euros each) for 13 cases of unauthorized tape recordings.
Bushido, whose real name is Anis Mohamed Ferchichi, was a witness and co-plaintiff in the criminal proceedings. A large part of the allegations were based on his statements. The rapper did not come to the verdict. He now lives with his family in Dubai.
The prosecution had accused Arafat Abou-Chaker of, among other things, attempted aggravated extortion, deprivation of liberty, coercion, grievous bodily harm and serious breach of trust. Co-defendants were three of Arafat Abou-Chaker’s brothers, aged 42, 46 and 53. They were also acquitted of the allegations against the musician. According to the verdict, the main defendant and one of his brothers will receive compensation for a short period of time they spent in custody.
The public prosecutor’s office had demanded a total sentence of four years, three months and one week in prison for the main defendant. For his brothers, she requested total sentences ranging from seven months probation to two years and one month in prison. The defense had called for acquittals. None of the alleged crimes that should have happened to the rapper have been proven.
The focus of the proceedings was an incident on January 18, 2018, in which Bushido was said to have been held against his will. He was said to have been insulted, threatened and also attacked with a plastic bottle and a chair. The alleged acts were said to have occurred after the musician dissolved relations with his ex-manager in 2017. According to the accusation, he did not want to accept the separation and demanded a million-dollar payment from the rapper and participation in his business for 15 years.
The court has tried to resolve the case on 113 days of hearings since August 2020. The process took place under strict security precautions. Some saw this as a long-awaited blow to clan crime because Bushido showed no fear. This is different in many trials against members of large families who are linked to organized crime. The term clan crime is controversial because, according to critics, it stigmatizes and discriminates against people with a migrant background based solely on their family affiliation and origin.