Lisa murder suspect faces attempted rape charge as well

A man charged with murdering a teenager and raping another woman in August last year is also being charged with an attempted rape earlier that month, the public prosecution service said on Monday.

The murder of 17-year-old Lisa as she cycled home on August 20 led to a storm of protest. A crowdfunding campaign to raise awareness of women’s right to safety at night generated more than €400,000 in its first 24 hours.

The rape took place on the Weesperzijde in Amsterdam on August 15, and the attempted rape happened five days earlier. Police had originally assumed the earlier incident was a robbery but later said they were investigating the possibility that it had been a sexual assault.

That has now been confirmed, and the case will come up for consideration on February 11, when the next pro forma court hearing takes place.

The man has claimed to be Chris Jude from Nigeria, but police have so far failed to establish his real name and identity. He is thought to be in his early 20s.

He was arrested on August 21 at a refugee centre in Amsterdam for the rape and was later linked to the murder of Lisa who was stabbed to death.