Hibapress
The trial of former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn opened Tuesday at the regional court in Brunswick, northwest Germany, where the ex-executive is being tried for his alleged involvement in the “Dieselgate” scandal.
Nine years after the scandal broke out involving the manipulation of diesel and petrol engines to fraudulently reduce pollutant emissions during homologation tests, Mr Winterkorn continues to maintain his innocence, local press reports. “Our client firmly rejects the accusations against him,” said Mr Winterkorn’s lawyer, Felix Dörr, adding that his client is neither the “main accused” nor the “main person responsible” for the scandal that cost the Wolfsburg carmaker €32 billion.
The lawyer also stressed that “his position as CEO at the time alone does not justify him being labelled in this way or being held responsible for the scandal in all its dimensions.” “We are confident that we will achieve a good outcome for our client,” Dörr said at the opening of the trial, which is expected to include around 90 hearings and last until September 2025.
The Dieselgate scandal erupted in 2015, when Volkswagen was accused of manipulating the software in millions of vehicles to circumvent emissions standards. Mr. Winterkorn, now 77, is charged with organized fraud, financial market manipulation and giving perjury under oath. Mr. Winterkorn’s appearance comes a day after Volkswagen’s board announced a drastic austerity plan that includes plant closures in Germany and layoffs.
