Karin Hendrich, Katharina Metag
Moabit – A contract killing because of debts, a hostage-taking in a hotel, bomb threats at subway stations and a violent cargo bike driver. This week, the judges in the Berlin district court are once again hearing offenses across the criminal code.
The verdicts are pronounced in the name of the people. The trials in the Moabit regional court are therefore public. Here you can read about the upcoming events this week.
Trial on Monday
Table of Contents
► Murder-Trial against palliative care doctor
9.30 a.m., room 700: Continuation of the murder trial against palliative care doctor Johannes M. (40). He could be the biggest serial killer in Berlin’s post-war history. According to the indictment, M. is said to have killed at least 15 patients. Up to 90 victims are possible.
Trials on Tuesday
► Sleeping father killed
9.30 a.m., room 504: Rene L. (50) is said to have broken into his father’s apartment in September 2025. According to the prosecution, he first hit the sleeping man with a hammer and then stabbed him with a hunting knife.
► Contract killing with a knife
9.30 a.m., room 501: Andrey C. (44) is said to have commissioned his Oleg M. (58) to have a man killed. The man in charge used his contacts with organized crime in Moldova. Killer Alexandr Z. (58) is said to have ambushed the victim in Berlin-Mitte in March 2019 (after a 1,000 euro advance) and stabbed him to death. Motive: Probably money debts.
► Hostage taking in the hotel
9.15 a.m., room 537: Teimuraz M. is accused of luring two men with accomplices to a Marzahn hotel in October 2025 for an alleged work assignment. Cell phones were confiscated from the victims, they were tied up and beaten. In order to collect 13,000 euros of alleged debts, they threatened to cut off their ears or fingers and kill them.
Trials on Wednesday
► Blackmail attempt before elections
9.15 a.m., room 672: Before the 2021 federal election, Andy K. (43) is said to have announced to state parliaments and state party offices that he would have polling stations under control in order to manipulate the election. He demanded almost 4 million euros in Bitcoin. However, the institutions contacted did not respond to the request.
► Threatened with dummy bombs at subway stations
12 noon, room B 137: Jean-Ali F. (24) is accused of leaving dummy bombs in two subway stations with an accomplice in September 2022. The converted gas cans, which had small copper wires and a digital clock attached to them, also had a flashing white LED light at the bottom. Affected at that time: Dahlem-Dorf subway station and Krumme Lanke.
Trial on Thursday
► Marijuana for more than 150,000 euros
1.45 p.m., room 606: Anton B. (29) is said to have traded kilograms of marijuana in the Berlin city area between March 2020 and May 2020 using so-called EncroChat cell phones. Presumed proceeds, according to the public prosecutor’s office: a good 155,000 euros.
Trials on Friday
► Rabid cargo bike driver
10 a.m. Kirchstrasse District Court, Hall 2105: Caterina W. (41) is said to have been asked to slow down by another cyclist in Pankow in February 2025. She is said to have then pushed the critic off her bike and hit her to prevent her from getting up.
► Car required with pistol
9.30 a.m. Regional Court, Hall 537: Silvano W. (25) is accused of using a pistol to demand a car-sharing car in Wedding in October 2025. After hitting him with the handle of the gun through the open driver’s window, the driver left the car out of fear.