Large acquittal – Bushido’s ex-business partner Abou-Chaker wins in court
Mon 02/05/24 | 10:15 p.m. | By Ulf Morling
dpa/Gollnow
Video: rbb24 Brandenburg aktuell | 02/05/2024 | Norbert Siegmund | Image: dpa/Gollnow
Deprivation of liberty, attempted blackmail, dangerous bodily harm – these were serious allegations that rapper Bushido made against his ex-business partner. But the court remained in doubt and acquitted Abou-Chaker. By Ulf Morling
The rapper Bushido’s ex-business partner, Arafat Abou-Chaker, and three of his brothers were tried for 114 days before the Berlin district court. Among other things, for attempted serious predatory extortion, deprivation of liberty, grievous bodily harm and coercion. On Monday, the judges acquitted the four brothers on the main points.
There remained “doubts” about Bushido’s allegations against his former business partner Arafat Abou-Chaker (47). But the statements made by the rapper’s wife, Anna-Maria Ferchichi, should also be viewed with caution. According to the presiding judge, the 38th Grand Criminal Chamber cannot base a judgment on this.
After a three-and-a-half-year trial, the judges were convinced in their verdict that the serious crimes charged by the public prosecutor could not be proven in the trial using the rapper’s statements and other evidence. Arafat Abou-Chaker was only sentenced to a fine of 90 daily rates, a total of 81,000 euros, for 13 conversations illegally recorded on his smartphone, including Bushido. His three co-accused brothers were acquitted or no prosecution was granted.
A “forced marriage”?
The business relationship between rapper Bushido (45), whose real name is Anis Mohamed Ferchichi, and Arafat Abou-Chaker is said to have escalated when the musician wanted to separate from his business partner in 2017. In particular, a meeting between the main defendant’s business partners and two brothers in Abou-Chaker’s Berlin office on January 18, 2018 is said to have been particularly impressive for the rapper: after Bushido’s entry, the door was locked by Arafat and he was left with a half-filled one Plastic bottle attacked and a chair thrown at it.
The public prosecutor’s office had already accused the defendants of this after Bushido was encouraged to testify against his former business partner for three days. He and his family enjoyed personal and witness protection from the police. But his statements, which he made in the courtroom over the 25 days of the trial, sometimes through tears, did not convince the court.
Even for the pre-trial detention of two of the brothers, which according to the verdict was unjustly suffered for a total of several weeks, compensation must be paid once the verdict becomes final – 70 euros for each day of detention suffered.
In his statements, Bushido said that Arafat Abou-Chaker had threatened him when he wanted to part ways with him on business matters. At that time, the rapper wrote a song called “Mephisto”, which he meant by Arafat Abou-Chaker. It was a forced marriage, according to Bushido.
Statements from Bushido and his wife carry no condemnation
After the allegedly violent events in Arafat Abou-Chaker’s Berlin office in 2018, Bushido is said to have revealed himself to his wife. While the musician was traveling from Berlin, his wife is said to have gone to the police to report to the investigators. This is one of the points that did not convince the judges to convict the four defendants. Likewise, Bushido is said not to have reported everything to everyone he spoke to about the incident and also not to have left the office when, according to witnesses, he was able to.
The court speculated that Bushido’s accusations against Arafat Abou Chaker may have been made because the civil disputes over the amount to be paid after the business separation could potentially be more advantageous for the musician.
Prominent rappers as witnesses
The spectator and journalist seats in the high-security room 500 were well filled throughout the entire trial. Especially when prominent rappers such as Samra, Ali Bumaye, Kay One and Fler testified alongside 56 other witnesses. However, the morale of the witnesses from the music scene to appear at the first date set by the court to testify was “not particularly strong,” said court spokeswoman Lisa Jani. In addition, it took nine months to organize a video hearing in Turkey of a witness who was deported from Germany. While the public prosecutor’s office wanted to grant the witness, who was anchored in the Berlin rap scene, safe conduct, the immigration authorities refused his re-entry.
For three and a half years during the trial, the defense repeatedly tried to address the controversial term “clan crime” in connection with the surnames of the four accused brothers. One of Arafat Abou-Chaker’s defenders, Hansgeorg Birkhoff, had argued, among other things, that the term “clan crime” was apparently used by some people under the motto: “We have found some people who we trust to do this, and when clarifying the facts of the case, they are being investigated You no longer have to be so careful with your actions.”
After the verdict
After the verdict, Arafat Abou-Chaker was very pleased in the corridor outside the courtroom and repeatedly thanked his defense lawyers. Bushido himself did not appear at the verdict.
Further civil lawsuits in Berlin and Brandenburg courts regarding the material possessions of the former business partners are currently ongoing. Bushido currently lives in Dubai with his wife and their eight children. The public prosecutor’s office is examining whether to appeal against the verdict that has now been handed down.
Broadcast: rbb24 Brandenburg aktuell, February 5th, 2024, 7:30 p.m