Swiss court rejects appeal of ex-boxer convicted of murdering husband
A court in Bern has sentenced a former world boxing champion to 18 years in prison, an increase on the initial sentence.
The Brazilian-born woman was convicted of killing her husband with a baseball bat in Interlaken in autumn 2020. The woman vehemently denied the offence.
However, the High Court said on Friday that the evidence was conclusive and that a very clear picture had emerged of what happened.
Strong emotions had been involved in the crime: for example, the perpetrators had destroyed the victim’s mobile phone. Investigators also found the victim’s wedding ring in a pool of blood at the crime scene. This all points to a offence connected to a relationship, the court said.
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The perpetrators must also have had a key to the flat. The court considered indications that a third party had climbed onto the balcony and entered through the open door to be implausible.
The police had investigated in all directions and conducted over 60 interviews, the court added, and there could therefore be no question of a poorly-conducted case.
The defence lawyer had demanded an acquittal for the defendant, while the public prosecutor demanded a prison sentence of 18.5 years and an expulsion from the country for 14 years.
The judgement can still be appealed to the Federal Court, the highest in Switzerland.
The accused won the championship title of the World Boxing Association (WBA) in 2018. She ran a boxing gym in Interlaken.
Adapted from German by DeepL/dos
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