Overview

• A 31-year-old traffic officer is accused of demanding €1,200 from a motorist to avoid a driving ban during a February 2024 traffic stop in Gifhorn.
• The officer was acquitted in the first instance by the Amtsgericht Gifhorn, which ruled the allegations were not proven with sufficient probability.
• The Staatsanwaltschaft Hannover appealed the acquittal, bringing the case to the Landgericht Hildesheim for review.
• The appeal trial officially commenced on May 5, 2025, with the next hearing for closing arguments and a verdict scheduled for May 16, 2025.
• The case highlights broader concerns about corruption within Niedersachsen's police force and the challenges of meeting proof standards in German courts.