Naji Fakhreddine, a 69-year-old taxi driver, will not undergo a third trial for the alleged murder of 66-year-old Bernd Lehmann, a German national who was found dead in his Ashfield apartment in Sydney on Valentine’s Day in 2008. The NSW Supreme Court has formally announced that the prosecution has decided to drop the case, which had already been presented in two separate trials, the most recent of which ended in a hung jury last October.
Lehmann was reportedly preparing to return to Germany on the day he was murdered, having met Fakhreddine at a local leagues club prior to the incident. Witnesses recounted that they returned to Lehmann’s home, where a sexual encounter occurred before a violent attack ensued. Lehmann’s body was discovered shortly thereafter, lying face down in his kitchen doorway, with significant injuries including a severe cut to his neck and a 2.7kg statuette nearby.
The Director of Public Prosecutions stated that moving forward with a third trial would not be viable, as guidelines stipulate that such decisions should be made only in “exceptional circumstances.” Fakhreddine’s connection to the crime was established through DNA evidence collected in 2020, leading to his arrest in March 2021. Throughout the proceedings, Fakhreddine maintained his innocence, asserting that Lehmann was killed by intruders rather than himself.
The case has remained a complex and prolonged legal matter, reflecting the challenges faced in achieving a resolution after extended deliberation from juries in previous trials. As the prosecution steps back, the question of accountability for the crime committed almost 15 years ago remains unresolved, signalling an ongoing tension between the quest for justice and the realities of legal proceedings.