The parallels to the current election fraud in Rüsselsheim are unmistakable, but the events happened six years ago.

Before the 2016 local elections in Kelsterbach, a candidate on the SPD list who has died in the meantime is said to have tried to get a few votes.

According to the indictment, she allegedly requested postal voting documents on behalf of other eligible voters and then filled them out herself.

The woman's case was dropped over her death last October, but her 60-year-old husband is now facing charges.

He is said to have been involved in the electoral fraud, which he denies.

It all started with a glitch at the post office, which failed to deliver numerous election notices.

The Kelsterbach electoral office had therefore decided, in agreement with Mayor Manfred Ockel (SPD), to send replacement notifications itself.

The defendant's wife then offered to help with the delivery of the documents as she was well acquainted with the Greek community to which she herself belonged.

As a result, some voters are said to have requested postal voting documents and left them to the SPD candidate to fill out.

However, others did not even know that documents had been requested on their behalf.

The matter blew up when a woman wanted to vote and was informed that she had already voted by letter, of which she knew nothing.

Documents picked up at City Hall

Today it is no longer possible to find out in detail why it took six years for the trial to take place.

In any case, the investigation dragged on for a long time because the police were working on the matter almost on the side.

In the meantime, lessons have been learned and a special investigative team was set up to investigate election fraud in Rüsselsheim and Raunheim.

The SPD candidate later became seriously ill and died.

The restaurateur, who is not only the accused but also an important witness, could no longer be found.

He is said to be living in Greece again.

The accused's husband was offered to settle the case with a small fine, but he did not respond.

He said he was merely acting as a messenger, picking up and returning documents at City Hall.

He did not know that he had been involved in illegal activities.

After the trial before the Rüsselsheim District Court against the now unemployed man had yielded nothing apart from the recurring statement: "I can't remember", the court proposed that the proceedings be closed against a payment of 500 euros.

While the accused agreed, prosecutors initially refused.

She wants to have it checked again to see whether the main witness, who is now living in Greece, can still be summoned.

So were other witnesses like the investigating officers who were conducting the witness interviews at the time.

Should that happen, the court would have to reconvene in at least two days and question nearly a dozen of those involved.

As a precaution, August 2nd and 9th have already been scheduled.

The public prosecutor's office now wants to decide within three to four weeks whether they agree to the closure of the case or whether the case will be continued.