Bala Chinda

In a harrowing case that shocked the community in Aberdeen, Bala Chinda, a 26-year-old Nigerian student, was found guilty of the depraved rape and murder of 37-year-old mother Nkechi McGraa, known professionally as Jessica. The incident occurred in February 2016, shortly after Chinda arrived in Scotland to study at Robert Gordon University. Ms McGraa, an escort originally from Nigeria, was killed in her rented flat on Union Terrace, her life brutally cut short in what authorities described as terrifying circumstances.

The trial at the High Court in Aberdeen revealed a timeline pieced together from CCTV footage and witness testimonies. On the evening of 11 February 2016, Ms McGraa was seen travelling with Chinda in a taxi from his student accommodation on King Street to her flat. The taxi driver reported overhearing discussions about money between the pair, hinting at the transactional nature of their encounter given Ms McGraa's involvement in prostitution. Surveillance cameras later captured Chinda leaving the flat alone, while Ms McGraa's last mobile phone call was made just minutes before. Her body was discovered the following day, 12 February 2016, partially clothed in the bedroom, having died from asphyxiation—likely smothered with a pillow and possibly strangled with her scarf.

Chinda had denied the charges throughout the proceedings, but the jury returned a unanimous verdict on murder and a majority verdict on rape. As the verdicts were read, Chinda sobbed in the dock before being jailed for life, with a minimum term of 18 years. Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Houston of Police Scotland commented on the case's brutality, stating: '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.' He further noted Chinda's lack of remorse, adding: 'Throughout, Chinda has shown no real remorse for his depraved action and taken no responsibility for robbing a young boy of his mother.'

Ms McGraa, who was orphaned as a child and had a seven-year-old son living with her adopted mother in London, regularly sent money to her siblings abroad. The court heard how her involvement in sex work, while presenting complex challenges for policing, did not diminish the tragedy of her loss. Police Scotland emphasised the horrific nature of the crime, which unfolded only weeks after Chinda's arrival in the country. His father, employed at the Nigerian embassy in Beijing, was mentioned in passing, underscoring the international dimensions of the perpetrator's background. This case, reported extensively by BBC News, serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by individuals in the sex industry and the devastating consequences of unchecked violence.