Turkish court acquits only remaining suspect in Gabonese student's death

A Turkish court has acquitted Dursun Acar of charges of murder and sexual assault in the death of Gabonese university student Dinabongho Ibouanga, citing insufficient evidence. Acar was the only remaining suspect in Dina's 2023 death.

Wednesday December 18 2024 01:21 am

Dina's friends and feminist groups have protested at the courthouse, carrying placards that read, "Justice, it is me, Dina."

Duvar English

A Turkish court on Dec. 18 acquitted and released the only suspect in the murder case of 17-year-old Gabonese student Jeannah Danys Dinabongho (Dina) Ibouanga.

The seventh and final hearing was held in the criminal court in central Turkey’s Karabük province. Attorneys for both the defendant and the victim’s family presented their arguments against the prosecution's final opinion.

The attorneys representing Dina’s family alleged that the defendant, Dursun Acar, subjected her to sexual assault, according to reporting by the ANKA News Agency. Reportedly, Dina had sought refuge in Acar’s vehicle as she was running away. The defense attorneys rejected these claims.

The presiding judge ruled that the detained Acar had not committed the crimes of "intentional aggravated murder" and "sexual assault" and ordered his acquittal and release. The prosecution had sought charges of "sexual assault" and "murder with probable intent."

What happened?

On March 26, 2023, the body of Gabonese university student Jeannah Danys Dinabongho Ibouanga was found near the Filyos River in the Karabük province. Authorities launched an investigation into her suspicious death. Security camera footage showed Dina exiting a vehicle on the main road and running into the bushes. Shortly after, she returned to the car, which then drove toward the bushes. Her body was later discovered with bruises.

Evidence revealed that Dina had received messages soliciting sexual acts for money and had told her mother she wanted to leave Karabük. Voice recordings also surfaced to support this. As part of the investigation, eight people, including three Gabonese nationals, were detained. Five were released after questioning by the prosecutor’s office. Two suspects, identified as İ.Ç. and S.Ç., were released under judicial control, while Acar as the driver of the car Dina last entered, was detained on four occasions.

The Karabük Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office filed an indictment against Dursun Acar, seeking aggravated life imprisonment for "intentional murder" and up to 15 years in prison for "sexual assault." No charges were pursued against the other seven suspects.