THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
The Nigerian accused of killing Soopika P., a refugee aid worker, in the western German town of Ahaus on 11 February has gone on trial in the western city of Münster
Prosecutors argue the asylum-seeker became possessive of the22-year-old victim after a brief affair.
The 28-year-old defendant remained silent during his appearance in the Münster Regional Court on Monday.
Prosecutors allege the asylum seeker from Nigeria brutally murdered the woman, a German national of Indian/Sri Lankan origin, in February by stabbing her 22 times in the throat and upper body.
She later died in hospital as a result of her wounds, but not before reportedly passing on crucial information about her attacker to police.
According to the prosecution, the two had been in a relationship that lasted only a few days. Investigators say the suspect acted out violently because he wanted the 22-year-old for himself and couldn’t stand the idea of her with someone else.
At the time, the woman had been working as a volunteer at a refugee centre run by Catholic charity Caritas in Ahaus, near the Dutch border.
The suspect was arrested in Switzerland two days after her death and was then extradited at the request of German authorities to face trial.
Austin Ohaegbu with agency report
