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Previous VW chief informs court he didn't deceive financiers over dieselgate

Former Volkswagen chief executive Martin Winterkorn informed a German court on Wednesday he did not trick financiers over the carmaker's rigging of diesel engine emissions tests.

It was the first time Winterkorn has discussed the so-called dieselgate scandal in court, more than 8 years after he was forced to step down following news of the cheating.

He has previously been questioned by an investigative committee of Germany's lower house of parliament and by law firms commissioned by Volkswagen.

Winterkorn, 76, told the Greater Regional Court in Braunschweig he was not involved in choices to set up illegal defeat gadgets in the engines of Volkswagen diesel vehicles.

I have neither asked for nor motivated this performance, nor excused its use, he stated.

In an indictment submitted in 2019, Winterkorn was implicated of not informing financial markets in a prompt manner about the usage of defeat gadgets, as needed by law.

The court stopped the procedures over alleged market adjustment in January 2021, saying another case against Winterkorn brought a greater charge, however reopened them in December.

Winterkorn said in a short declaration that he just found out about the problems late, and not entirely.

If I had actually been offered a complete photo, I would not have was reluctant to deal with the occasions directly and clarify them, he added.

(source: Reuters)