The suspect reportedly fled in early 2022 and joined Kiev’s army to keep away from prosecution
The Ukrainian authorities have extradited a German mercenary who is needed in his house nation on suspicion of rape and possession and distribution of kid pornography, the media outlet Suspilne has reported, citing the workplace of Ukraine’s Public Prosecutor Common.
Recognized solely as Ben R., the person had till lately served within the Ukrainian Worldwide Legion – a unit of overseas fighters that Russia considers mercenaries.
Ukraine reportedly determined to deport Ben R. on December 31, 2024, however the course of was slowed down by the necessity to examine “all of the circumstances.”
In line with the report, the Ukrainian authorities additionally launched a pre-trial investigation into Ben R. over allegations of rape made by two native girls.
Strana UA claimed that the 29-year-old was detained in January, with German media alleging earlier this 12 months that he was being investigated in Ukraine on suspicion of raping a minor.
In 2021, the German army launched a probe towards the person, who was serving within the Bundeswehr on the time, after not less than 4 girls accused him of sexual harassment or rape, in accordance with the Workplace of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Commissioner. Nonetheless, the investigations had been finally dropped “for numerous causes,” the publication added.
Ben R. reportedly got here underneath the authorities’ scrutiny once more in early 2022, following a tip-off from the US Nationwide Heart for Lacking and Exploited Kids about youngster pornography which was being distributed on the web platform Discord.
In March 2022, the German police raided the suspect’s house in Bavaria, confiscating his digital gadgets, whereupon he swiftly moved to Ukraine, a number of media shops reported. He allegedly went on to affix a medical unit, with Bild describing him as a “German hero” a number of months later.
In the meantime, German investigators found that the impounded gadgets contained a “whole of 5,700 images and round 420 movies exhibiting sexualized violence towards kids,” in accordance with Der Spiegel.
In September 2022, Bavarian prosecutors filed an EU-wide arrest warrant towards the person, adopted by an extradition request to Ukraine and a second EU arrest warrant in 2023.
In November of that 12 months, new pornographic supplies linked to him, which had presumably been filmed and uploaded throughout his keep in Ukraine, had been found on the web, Der Spiegel reported.
In line with the Ukrainian media, the army unit the place the person had served solely terminated his contract in November 2024.
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