Murder of Nigerian student in North Cyprus: Suspects confesses in court, parent say they can't afford a lawyer

The three suspects who were arrested on suspicion of kidnapping, beating and murdering a 28-year-old Nigerian student in Famagusta were all arraigned in a Famagusta court on Wednesday.

The three suspects identified as Zekeriya, 22, Ozan Körkurt, 18 and B.Ç, 16 were accused of kidnapping, beating, and murdering Kennedy Taomwabwa Dede on Monday, January, 29 and then dumped his body at the Çanakkale lake.

Police said he was found naked with half his body inside the pond and the other part outside.

An autopsy carried out on the deceased at the Famagusta State Hospital showed that he died from a number of blows resulting in cerebral haemorrhage and lung damage. 

The suspects were charged with murder, human abduction and serious assault. 

Female suspect

Another suspect Aydan Sel, 28, who was found to be connected with the murder was arrested on Wednesday evening while another suspect identified as Nidai Ş, 28 who is the ringleader is said to have escaped the country to south Cyprus. 

Two more people identified as OK, 18 and SD, 17 are also being searched for.

Father of the girl suspect, B.Ç, 16 told the court that he would not hire a lawyer for his daughter, and requested that the state hire a lawyer for her.

When asked by the court judge to testify of her involvement in the incident, the girl suspect told the court that she was present when the attack took place but said she did not take part in the killing.

The judge told the father of the girl that it would be in their interest to get a lawyer because "the matter is serious and a grave one" but the father told the judge; “I will not hire a lawyer for her. If she is guilty she should be punished. I don’t want her to be a bad example to this country.”

Police witness told the court that, Zekeriya, Ozan Körkurt and B.Ç., including 2 males and 2 females who were not identified stormed Kennedy's residence at number 7 of Kuzenler Apartment, Haci Bektas Street in Famagusta's Kali Land district and forcefully adopted him.

Kennedy Taomwabwa Dede, 28, a student at the Eastern Mediterranean University in Magusa was kidnapped by car and beaten by 7 people on Monday, January, 29 and then taken to the Çanakkale lake where he was killed.

One of the accused, along with four other people forcefully took him while Zakeriya drove him in his car to the Çanakkale Pond, where he was seriously beaten to death.

Police said Zakeriya gave voluntary testimony of his involvement in the incident upon interrogation.

The judge, who assessed the testimony brought before him, noted that if the suspects were released, they have the possibility of influencing the investigation and those who are being sought for in connection with the incident and ordered that they remain in police detention for two more days.

Following court proceedings, the mother of the other suspects Zekeriya and Ozan Körkurt, rebelled against the police as they were taken to police headquarters. 

She was heard begging her sons to come clean. “Tell them what you know. Don’t protect anyone. Don’t sacrifice yourselves because you want to protect them,” she said.

Meanwhile, report reaching us say Kennedy said he had been kidnapped previously in a similar way a week ago and reported the matter to the police who did nothing about it.

Culled and edited from Kibris Gazetesi