Investigation deepens into killing of Nigerian student in Turkish Cyprus
NICOSIA
An autopsy conducted at the Famagusta State Hospital into the recent killing of a Nigerian student in the Turkish Cypriot town of Famagusta has confirmed that he died of a cerebral haemorrhage caused by severe blows to the head.
Kennedy Taomwabwa, 28, who was a student of Eastern Mediterranean University, was reportedly abducted from the city center by a group of eight locals who kidnapped him against his will. Taomwabwa was taken home and killed by the group on Jan. 31, according to police officials.
Turkish Cypriot police found his body near a pond outside of the city and detected that he was killed after he was beaten up. The autopsy report confirmed that he received several blows to various parts of his body, suffered from severe lung injuries and eventually died after his head was crushed with stone.
Three suspects allegedly involved in the murder were detained by police on Feb. 1.
Kıbrıs Postası, a Turkish Cypriot-based daily newspaper, reported that three more suspects were captured later in the day. The suspects include men and women whose ages range between 16 and 28.
Meanwhile, a 16-year-old suspect admitted that she was around the scene of the incident but denied she was with the other suspects. Her father has reportedly refused to hire a lawyer for his daughter, saying she should be held accountable for her actions.
According to Kıbrıs Postası, Taomwabwa was struggling with financial difficulties and had failed a number of his classes after failing to attend. He eventually started drug dealing on the island, with Kıbrıs Postası reporting that he was killed after not paying his suppliers. He was allegedly kidnapped previously after failing to pay a 600 Turkish Lira debt.
Officials say he was still being pursued for debts and was sending some of the money he made from drug dealing to his family in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, a number of university students staged a protest after news of Taomwabwa’s killing emerged, demanding justice. The Eastern Mediterranean University administration also issued a statement expressing its sorrow over the killing.
