A 27-year-old Nigerian migrant in on trial for killing refugee helper Soopika P. earlier this year and prosecutors in the case have demanded life imprisonment for the failed asylum seeker.
The prosecutor in the case has argued that the murder was “not a spontaneous act, it was planned long ago”. If the request accepted by the judge, it would mean the 27-year-old would face a minimum of 15 years behind bars before he would be eligible for any type of release, local newspaper Münsterland Zeitung reports.
The prosecutor said that the motivation for the attack was related to the short sexual relationship between the failed migrant, who lived at an asylum home in Ahaus, and the victim. She had decided to be with another man shortly before the murder and had sent a text to the Nigerian saying “it’s over”, shortly before he stabbed her 22 times.
“Because of the fact that she did not want to be with him, he wanted to punish her,” the prosecutor said, and added that the migrant had been enraged by the text and decided that she “had to submit to him”.
The defence lawyer did not dispute that his client had committed the murder as blood stains of the victim had been found on the Nigerian’s clothing but argued that the crime was a crime of passion and pleaded for a manslaughter charge.
The Nigerian was not immediately arrested as he fled the scene of the crime and crossed the border into Switzerland. After an international manhunt, authorities were able to arrest him at a train station in Bern in February.
A judgement in the case is expected on October 11th.
The case is similar to that of Maria Ladenburger, who also volunteered to help migrants in the German city of Freiburg.
Ladenburger was allegedly raped and killed by Afghan national Hussein K. who is currently on trial for the crime. The Afghan immediately admitted he was not 17 as initially believed but lied about being underage to receive better treatment from German authorities.