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| Bala Chinda |
Nigerian government official’s son, Bala Chinda, has been jailed for raping and murdering a compatriot high-class escort at a flat in Aberdeen
He was jailed for 26 years for the murder and rape of Nigerian Jessica McGraa, who kept double life as a call girl secret.
She was ‘suffocated with a pillow and strangled with her own scarf’, , Mailonline reported.
Chinda, 26, killed 37-year-old McGraa only a few weeks after arriving in Scotland to study at Robert Gordon’s University.
Her body was found partially clothed in the bedroom of a flat she had rented on Aberdeen’s Union Terrace the following day.
Extensive police investigations carefully pieced together the call girl’s last movements following the grim discovery on February 12.
CCTV footage revealed that she had travelled to Chinda’s student accommodation on King Street with him in a taxi before they returned to her apartment a short time later.
She made her last ever call on her mobile phone a few minutes before surveillance cameras recorded Chinda walking down the street away from her flat.
On Friday, a jury of eight women and seven men unanimously found Chinda guilty of murdering Jessica in the city centre flat.
They took more than six hours to reach their verdict and also found him guilty of raping the mother-of-one and stealing her two mobile phones in an attempt to defeat the ends of justice.
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| Hooker Jessica McGraa was killed in February last year |
Judge Lord Beckett told the jury they had gone about their duties commendably after listening to evidence they may have found “very distressing”.
Jailing Chinda, he told him that he had ended the life of a woman described by friends giving evidence as “full of fun” and who had much left to live for.
The Nigerian, whose dad works as the immigration attach at the Nigerian embassy in Beijing, wept uncontrollably after he was found guilty by the jury.
The court heard that Ms McGraa died of asphyxiation and was likely smothered with a pillow and possibly strangled with her scarf.
The taxi driver taking Chinda and Jessica back to her apartment had heard them discussing money before she was killed on February 11.
Chinda changed his phone number after her death.
Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Houston said: “This was a challenging case for all involved, using the full resources of Police Scotland to understand what happened to Jessica and trace the person responsible for her murder – a man who went to great lengths to cover his involvement and deceived his victim from the outset.
“At the heart of this horrific crime was a young mother, daughter and friend whose life was cut tragically short in what must have been terrifying circumstances.
“Throughout Chinda has shown no real remorse for his depraved actions and taken no responsibility for robbing a young boy of his mother.
“It is hard to imagine how difficult this past year has been for her family and friends and our thoughts are with them today.”
During the trial the court heard that the mother had a young seven-year-old son who lived with her adopted mother in London.
Ms McGraa was originally from Nigeria and was an orphan but sent money back to her two sisters and brothers who lived abroad.
Her double life as an escort was only exposed to her closest friends after her sudden death with many believing she travelled round the county selling hair extensions.
She visited her son in London every month and took him on luxury holidays abroad and was dating a young man in Dublin who she planned to marry.
Detective Chief Inspector Houston added: “Police Scotland recognises that many males and females involved in prostitution are there as a result of force or a perception of limited alternatives.
“We have worked closely with a range of partners including health authorities and support groups, to ensure our responses to prostitution focuses on protecting individuals and communities from harm while targeting organised crime groups and individuals who attempt to control, abuse, exploit or coerce others.”
Reports by NAN
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