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Dr. Knarf in the Cologne district court in mid-January
Photo: Oliver Berg/dpa
Exactly seven years to the day after a serious explosion in an apartment building in downtown Cologne, rapper Dr. Knarf was found guilty by the Cologne regional court. The court sentenced the 39-year-old, whose real name is Niko Brenner, to one and a half years in prison on probation for drug possession and trafficking as well as negligently causing an explosive explosion. The judgment is final.
According to the court, Brenner tried to produce cannabis concentrate known as “Dab” in February 2017 in his recording studio, which was in the basement of an apartment building not far from Cologne Cathedral.
Highly explosive gas-air mixture
"We are convinced that the explosion was the result of the extraction process that had just been carried out," said the presiding judge when justifying the verdict. Butane gas was used in the production of the “Dab” and some of it evaporated. A highly explosive gas-air mixture then formed, which was ignited by a spark from a refrigerator and led to the explosion.
The blast wave blew out windows and parts of the masonry into the building's inner courtyard. The court estimated the damage to the building at around 58,000 euros.
Brenner suffered severe burns from the explosion and was in a coma for months. During this time, the 39-year-old suffered several strokes, which is why doctors had to remove half of his skull. The 39-year-old is paralyzed on one side and sits in a wheelchair.
swe/dpa