The witness stayed away twice without an excuse, but on Tuesday he testified in the trial about the burglary in the Dresden Green Vault.

The man, 48 years old and originally from Tunisia, had been in custody with one of the accused.

While cooking and going for a walk together, he learned so many details about the spectacular break in November 2019 that he then testified to the investigators.

His motive, he admits, was a lesser punishment for his own crimes.

Stephen Locke

Correspondent for Saxony and Thuringia based in Dresden.

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At first, however, he does not want to remember the details of his statement in the courtroom.

Not once does he look around at the 21-year-old defendant with whom he was in custody.

He was afraid of the accused, who belonged to the partly criminal Berlin Remmo clan, he answered when asked about the reason for his reluctance.

The court had previously rejected his request for a statement in the absence of the accused, but then offered an interview with witness protection.

There is no trace of the loot

Judges, the public prosecutor's office and the defense cannot avoid repeatedly quoting from the police interrogation of the witness and questioning him about it.

Interesting details come to light that weigh heavily on the accused.

The accused said in prison that the perpetrators had sold a diamond from the Green Vault in Romania.

So far there is no trace of the loot worth almost 114 million euros.

With reference to the burglary in Dresden, the accused also said that he and his accomplices were "not clairvoyant" but had "an insider".

The witness also confirms this statement.

The public prosecutor's office is still investigating around 40 people, including security forces in the Green Vault.

In addition, while in custody, the accused boasted that he was present when the gold coin was stolen from the Berlin Bode Museum, but he was lucky because nothing could be proven against him.

An explanation will follow on one of the coming trial days

In addition, the defendant was very concerned about being convicted of arson.

The perpetrators set fire to their getaway car in the underground car park of a residential complex in Dresden, injuring several people and causing property damage of almost one million euros.

According to the witness, the defendant was concerned that his cousin, whom he wanted to marry, would not wait for him if he had to stay in prison longer.

At this point, the defendant personally grabs the microphone and, visibly excited, declares that he wants to "say something about it".

His defense lawyers prevent this and announce a statement on one of the coming trial days.

The witness, who was convicted of assault, theft, attempted stolen goods and computer fraud, was given a suspended sentence in his appeals process.

His educational help was decisive for this, it said in the verdict.

The statements of the witness are "credible and of considerable importance".