Two students sentenced to 3 years in prison over the death of former Nigerian roommate

Lefkoşa – Two international students have been sentenced to three years in prison by the Lefkoşa High Criminal Court in north Cyrus for causing the death of their former roommate, Chukwudi Oliver Nwauuisi, a Nigerian through recklessness and intimidation.

The tragic incident took place on January 10, 2023, at approximately 12:55 PM in a second-floor apartment located on 2nd Street in the Haspolat municipal housing area. According to the court, the incident was the result of a confrontation over a £125 deposit that 23-year old Nwauuisi claimed was owed to him by the defendants.

During the trial, it was revealed that Nwauuisi had allegedly threatened to employ "voodoo magic" through his brother in Nigeria if the money was not returned. In response, the defendants invited him to the apartment under the pretense of resolving the issue. Once Nwauuisi arrived, the defendants Isaıah Edirium and Amurır Andrew reportedly locked the door and demanded he contact his brother to cancel the supposed curse.

A heated argument ensued, during which both men brandished wooden-handled axes in an attempt to intimidate Nwauuisi. Fearing for his life, the victim jumped from the open balcony of the apartment — a height of nearly 11 meters (10.95m) — landing on the concrete below.

23-year old Nigerian student, Chukwudi Oliver NWAUUISI, who was seriously injured after falling from a height of 11 meters from an apartment building in Haspolat after he was threatened with an axe has died from his injuries

Nwauuisi was rushed to the emergency department of Lefkoşa State Hospital and later transferred to the intensive care unit. Despite medical efforts, he died from his injuries on January 25, 2023.

The judge, delivering the verdict on behalf of the panel detailed how the defendants had fled to South Cyprus following the incident. Through coordination with the Crime Information Exchange Office and the involvement of United Nations forces, the men were located and arrested in the south and returned via the Kermiya checkpoint on January 20, 2023.

The court also noted that both defendants had been living illegally in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus: Edirium since September 3, 2021, and Andrew since April 29, 2022.

The judge emphasized the seriousness of the offense, stating that while the defendants did not physically push the victim, they had intentionally created a threatening environment that directly led to his fatal decision to leap from the balcony. She also highlighted the growing concern over individuals entering the country as students and later remaining illegally, with some becoming involved in serious criminal activity.

Taking into account both mitigating and aggravating factors, the court unanimously sentenced Edirium and Andrew to three years in prison.