Former Volkswagen boss’ trial suspended over ill health

A German court said Tuesday it had suspended the trial of former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn due to the defendant’s poor health.

Winterkorn, who received hospital treatment after an accident at his home last month, “will not be able to take part in court hearings for at least the next few months due to health reasons”, the court in Braunschweig said in a statement.

The court said it had paused the trial and “cancelled all continuation dates”. The hearings in the trial could not be resumed within the legally mandated time frame, the court said.

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The court was exploring a restart in the first part of 2025, it said.

Winterkorn went on trial at the start of September over the infamous dieselgate scandal at Volkswagen, nine years after the revelations plunged the carmaker into crisis.

His ongoing health problems though had postponed previous attempts to put him on trial.

According to German daily Bild, Winterkorn recently slipped in the shower and broke his right leg.

Winterkorn is facing charges including fraud and market manipulation over the so-called defeat devices, which made cars appear less polluting in lab tests than they were on the road.

He could be jailed for up to 10 years if convicted. Winterkorn denies the allegations.

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