Finance minister in German financial centre commits suicide

The finance minister of the regional state of Germany’s financial centre Frankfurt has committed suicide, police and the public prosecutor’s office said in a joint statement on Saturday.

Thomas Schaefer, who had led the finance ministry of Hesse for almost ten years, was found dead next to train tracks near Frankfurt, according to a police investigation.

Police and the public prosecutor’s office gave no information on the motive.

They said they reached the conclusion he had committed suicide due to “extensive crime scene work, the questioning of numerous witnesses, the situation on site and the technical and forensic evaluations and investigations.”