A fine was imposed on rapper Shindy in the trial of rapper Bushido's former business partner because he remained silent as a witness in court.

The Berlin district court said on Monday that the 33-year-old had refused to answer several questions without reason.

A fine of 1,000 euros was imposed on Shindy, whose real name is Michael Schindler, and eight days of imprisonment as an alternative.

The lawyer of the musician who had traveled from Munich announced that he would appeal against this decision.

The background is an ongoing criminal tax proceeding

The rapper appeared on the 75th day of the trial against Arafat Abou-Chaker, a Berlin clan leader, and three of his brothers with a witness.

The lawyer stated that his client had a comprehensive right to refuse to testify.

The background is a criminal tax proceeding against him.

It is about the business relationships with Arafat Abou-Chaker and Bushido.

The court has deferred a decision on a further application by the public prosecutor's office for six months' preventive detention.

The process is about alleged crimes against Bushido, whose real name is Anis Mohamed Ferchichi.

The charges are deprivation of liberty, attempted aggravated extortion, coercion, dangerous bodily harm and insult.

According to the rapper, his longtime manager and his brothers are said to have locked him up, verbally abused, threatened and injured him on January 18, 2018.

His ex-partner had requested unauthorized payments.

Dispute goes to Berlin Court of Appeal

The court found that the rapper Shindy had to answer questions that were not related to the criminal tax proceedings.

Without reason, he refused to testify when asked, among other things, whether he knew Arafat Abou-Chaker and the joint plaintiff Ferchichi.

With a complaint from the witness, the dispute goes to the Berlin Superior Court.

The 33-year-old's lawyer said his client would bow to a decision by the appeals court.

According to current plans, the 43-year-old Bushido, who was in the courtroom as a joint plaintiff, is to be questioned as a witness on August 15 for an audio file that is said to have been made secretly at a meeting between him and his ex-manager that was crucial to the proceedings .

The trial will resume on August 10th.