Nigerian Footballer, United Kingdom Asylum Seeker, Stabbed to Death in Ireland
…34-year-old sustained fatal injuries after being attacked on South Anne Street
*Suspect, a 23-year-old Ryan Ndede, of Boroimhe Birches in Dublin, charged with the murder of Babatunde
*Deceased earlier accused of rape in Italy, arrested following a three-month police search, charged with the sexual assault of a 22-year-old woman
*Reportedly played in Italian Football clubs like Monselice and Reggiana Primavera
*Caught in the middle of a violent altercation in Dublin that initially begun regarding seating arrangements in a night club
*”The accused was identified on CCTV approaching the deceased with a knife concealed under a puffer jacket. Babatunde was stabbed four times, including once through the heart, which proved fatal. We used CCTV to track the defendant through the streets to a rented apartment in Dublin 8, where a knife was recovered”-Detective Constable
*BY NATHY JAY/UNITED KINGDOM, Football Correspondent, Naija Standard Newspaper Inc USA
LIFE came to a halt for a promising Nigerian Footballer in Ireland, QUAHAM BABTUNDE having had stint in several Football Clubs in Europe, particularly in Italy. This Nigerian asylum seeker and former footballer was tragically stabbed to death in Dublin, Ireland, during a violent incident recently.
It was gathered that Babatunde, 34, sustained fatal injuries after being attacked on South Anne Street.
The deceased was previously accused of rape in Italy.
The Nigerian national was arrested in April 2018 following a three-month police search and charged with the sexual assault of a 22-year-old woman.
He was later remanded in custody and subsequently deported.
A friend of the deceased confirmed the Italian allegations but he insisted Babatunde always maintained his innocence.
Babatunde, once considered a promising footballer, reportedly played Italian clubs like Monselice and Reggiana Primavera.
However, his football career was overshadowed by his legal troubles, including an arrest in 2019 for brawling and immigration violations.
He was later listed for deportation due to his status as an illegal immigrant.
He was caught in the middle of a violent altercation in Dublin that had initially begun over a dispute regarding seating arrangements in a club.
The shocking footage from the scene shows a masked man wielding a large knife. Babatunde, described by friends as a peacemaker, was stabbed in the chest and died. Another man was also injured in the attack but survived.
Investigations by An Garda Síochána led to multiple arrests, including a 23-year-old suspect apprehended in Belfast while attempting to flee to Liverpool.
Two other suspects were also taken into custody in Dublin.
Friends of the deceased have expressed shock at his sudden death, describing him as a caring individual who was trying to rebuild his life. They revealed that he had taken an exam to work as a security guard in Ireland and had no prior involvement in the altercation that led to his death.
Babatunde, one of the first residents of the Ballyogan International Protection Accommodation Centre, had no known family in Ireland.
His tragic killing has raised concerns about violence in Dublin’s nightlife and the plight of asylum seekers abroad.
Meanwhile, a man has appeared in court in Belfast charged with the murder of a 34-year-old man in Dublin City centre at the weekend.
Ryan Ndede, 23, of Boroimhe Birches in Dublin, is charged with the murder of Quham Babatunde.
Babatunde died after he was stabbed close to Grafton Street in the early hours of Saturday morning.
A detective constable said she was aware of the facts of the case and could connect the accused to the charge.
Setting out the facts of the case a prosecution lawyer described the incident as a “group melee” in the early hours of Saturday morning.
He told the court the accused was identified on CCTV approaching the deceased with a knife concealed under a puffer jacket.
He said Babatunde was stabbed four times, including once through the heart, which proved fatal.
The prosecution lawyer said Garda used CCTV to track the defendant through the streets to a rented apartment in Dublin 8, where a knife was recovered.
He said the knife was still undergoing forensic examination.
The court heard Ndede arrived by bus in Belfast on Sunday afternoon where he later boarded a ferry to Birkenhead.
The prosecution lawyer said the ferry was turned around and the accused was arrested in Belfast. A defense solicitor representing the accused said the court did not have jurisdiction in this case.
He also told the court the description of the accused did not match alleged identification evidence against him. The detective said there were “several different descriptions” of the alleged perpetrator.
District Judge Alan White said that he did hold jurisdiction in the case. No bail application was made and Ndede was remanded into custody.
He is due to appear at Belfast Magistrates’ Court via video link on 21 March. An application for legal aid was granted.
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