It took a good one year for Bernhard Günter to get back in the public eye. In March of this year, the Innogy CFO attended the company's annual press conference in Essen. He wore a black headband and tinted glasses protected his eyes. "A year ago, it was far from clear that I can do it again," he said at the time according to "Handelsblatt".
On March 4, 2018 Günther went by his own account in Haan near Dusseldorf with friends jogging. What happened then, he explained in a conversation with the business newspaper: 300 meters in front of his house, the group had separated, he had gone on alone. Two younger men had ambushed him. One had cut off his path, the other came from behind. He had been brought down, held and poured with a liquid. Then both were gone. "It all came to an end within a few seconds," he said.
Federico Gambarini / DPA
Bernhard Günther in March 2019 at his first public appearance after the attack: "a year ago it was far from clear that I can do it again"
Günther, who was temporarily in mortal danger, was released from the hospital three weeks after the attack. The doctors were able to save his eyesight. The prosecution determined, evaluated video material, stuck posters. In September 2018 she ceased her work - without success.
Now, the Wuppertal investigators have yet announced a breakthrough: A 32-year-old is in custody. He was arrested on 18 October at a sporting event in Cologne and is under urgent suspicion.
It is still unclear which motive the man should have had. A few days after the attack on Günther had become known that the RWE subsidiary Innogy smashed and parts of the competitor E.on should be taken. In the interview with the "Handelsblatt" Günther did not want to speculate about a possible connection.
80,000 euros reward
How the arrest succeeded, although the file was already too, let the investigators open. The press release only states that the work was resumed on the basis of anonymous comments. Innogy itself had given 80,000 euros for clues after the preliminary end of the investigation.
About her investigation, the Wuppertal prosecutor's office covers. It was not a politically motivated attack, said a spokeswoman. Determined to be due to assault.
The acid attack was not the first attack on the manager. Years before, Günther had been beaten, even then while jogging. So far, there is no evidence that the suspect was responsible for the recent raid, it was said by the prosecutor.
The arrested 32 -year-old obviously did not act alone: Günther had already reported on two assailants. And the prosecution now said that they had searched in several cities apartments of possible accomplices of the suspect. The investigation, so much can be seen in Wuppertal, are still far from complete.