The son of a Nigerian government official has been jailed for life for the brutal rape and murder of a high-class escort in an Aberdeen flat. On the 11th of February 2016, Jessica Nkechi McGraa and Bala Wadzani Chinda met for the first and last time.
Then 25-year-old Bala Wadzani Chinda had recently moved to Scotland to begin his Masters at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen. He had completed his undergraduate studies at the Dongbei University of Finance and Economics in China where his father is based as a Nigerian Diplomat.
A look through his Facebook pages shows a life of privilege – skiing, having drinks with friends and more.
Jessica, on the other hand, is said to be an orphan. She had struggled for most of her life and felt that a life in the United Kingdom would give her a fresh start.
Her estranged husband, Gareth McGraa, a UK National met her while he was working in the oil industry in Port Harcourt.
The pair got married and moved to the United Kingdom where she lived for 11 years. They also had a child but by the time he was 1 year old, they had separated.
Their son is now 7 years old.
Gareth says they remained cordial as they shared custody of their son who was primarily cared for by her adopted mother who lived in London.
“She was a very pious girl – she dragged me to church even and that’s not easy.”
“When I met her I don’t think she’d had more than a handful of lovers in all her life.
“She wasn’t cheap and liked her Gucci and Armani handbags. She loved the high life and wanted all her dreams to come true tomorrow.
“To my mind, and hers, we were going to get back together at some point.
“Not just me, the two of us. I wanted it, she wanted it so why not? But I only ever got half the story. I thought I knew her and it hurts.”
Gareth says she was a regular churchgoer and he never knew Jessica had entered into the world of prostitution which sadly led to her death.
Friends and family also had no idea about her career choice. Her adopted mom Bimbo Ouiawe says she was in a new relationship with a man named Patrick Dignam. She was in love and believed the relationship would lead to marriage. She also maintained close contact with her family members in Nigeria.
The 50-year-old adopted mom of the deceased also told the police officer that she was under the impression that her daughter worked as a manager in a jewelry store in Aberdeen.
She said she even had business cards made up with the shop name printed on the front.
Jessica McGraa advertised her services on a popular “Adult Work” website under the names Ebony Bianca, Kelly West, and B Bianca.
Services offered included the ‘ultimate girlfriend experience’. She charged up to £1,800-a-night and mentioned taking local and international trips for work.
She described herself as ‘classic, stylish, naughty, horny, sexy’. The site has topless photos of her with her face blurred out.
She wrote: ‘My face is covered to protect myself as I’m ultra-discreet. I have my regular job and a private life. Do be polite when you call me.’
The 26-year-old Robert Gordon University student had been on trial at the High Court in Aberdeen accused of throttling and suffocating the mother-of-one after raping her in a rented apartment in Union Terrace.
It was also alleged that after the killing he stole her mobile phones in order to dispose of any evidence linking him to her.
Chinda denied the charges against him but after seven hours of deliberation, a jury of seven men and eight women unanimously found him guilty of murder.
He was also convicted of rape by a majority verdict.
As the verdict was delivered Chinda broke down in tears, showing the first sign of emotion since the trial started.
His counsel Ian Duguid QC, said that it was hard for his client to display any remorse towards Miss McGraa or her family as he did not accept his guilt.
The court heard throughout the trial that Chinda had been desperate for s3x on the evening before and the morning of Miss McGraa’s death.
After searching for prostitutes and brothels nearby he eventually ended up meeting his victim at the flat in Union Terrace.
However, the diplomat’s son did not have the cash to pay her for her services and killed her during a frustrated rage.
Chinda then left the flat, taking with him her two mobile phones and leaving Miss McGraa lying naked from the waist down on the bed.
It was not until the next day, February 12 last year, that she was found by her landlord.
Jailing Chinda for a minimum of 18 years, Lord Beckett praised the work the police had done to secure a conviction.
He said: “You raped a woman and made her undergo s3xual intercourse without the protection of a condom.
“You then murdered her, by smothering her with a pillow, and strangling her, probably using her scarf.
“You then sought to hide evidence which would link you to her.
“You might have got away with this but for the excellent police work which led to your detection, arrest and conviction.
“Your victim was the mother of a young child living in this country. She had hoped to marry.
“She had family in Nigeria who was supported by her to some extent and a brother in Hong Kong, all of whom will painfully feel their loss.
“She was much loved by her friends, two of whom gave evidence, and one of whom described her as being full of fun and life, a life which you ended when she was 37 and had much left to live for.”
Chinda was also placed on the sex offenders register for life.
No comments:
Post a Comment
WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, PLEASE DROP YOUR COMMENTS :)