Man arrested over discovery of woman’s remains in suitcase

A 23-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the discovery of a woman’s body in a suitcase in Amsterdam.

The victim, 29-year-old Hajar, went missing on October 4 after she was seen cycling away from the Rai area towards Buitenveldert on a bicycle with an unknown man.

Her remains were found on Saturday in a suitcase that had been dumped in the Amsteldijk. The discovery was made nearly two weeks after she disappeared and two days after police issued an appeal for information about her whereabouts.

The suspect, a Somali national of no fixed abode, was arrested on Monday evening in connection with an assault on another man in Koggeland, Noord-Holland.

According to Dutch media reports the victim of the assault was the man’s foster father, who needed hospital treatment for injuries. The suspect had lived in foster care until he was 16 years old.

He had earlier been questioned as a witness about Hajar’s disappearance after camera footage showed him with her at the Rai on October 4.

“Further inquiries led to him being identified as a suspect,” René Beukelaer, head of the prosecution service in Amsterdam told a press conference on Tuesday.

Murder of Lisa

City mayor Femke Halsema acknowledged that the death of Hajar would revive questions about women’s safety, following the murder of a 17-year-old girl, Lisa, on a cycle path in August last year. A 22-year-old asylum seeker, Chris Jude, believed to be from Nigeria, has since admitted killing her.

“It is just 14 months since the Amsterdam authorities had to inquire about the dreadful murder of a 17-year-old girl,” Halsema said.

“The fear, anger and outrage that it stirred up in our society have not been quelled, and it pains me hugely to have to sit here again, knowing that this will cause more fear for women in this city and across the Netherlands.”

Peter Holla, Amsterdam’s chief of police, said the suspect was initially treated as a witness because “there were no signs in the camera footage that he was a suspect or there was a threatening situation.”

Outstanding questions

He said police were still appealing for information from the public to answer outstanding questions, such as where Hajar was killed.

The suspect has lived in the Netherlands since the age of six and has permanent residency. He is being held in solitary detention, with contact restricted to his lawyer.

Beukelaer added there was no indication that the suspect and Hajar knew each other.

Holla said Hajar was reported missing by a family member on October 4 who said she had left home with a suitcase. The search was classed as “urgent” the following day.

Public appeal

“It was not clear at that time whether we were dealing with a crime,” Holla said.

Her photograph was circulated to the public on October 13, along with details of when she was last seen at Rai.

The family told police Hajar had spent periods of time away from home before, but always returned, Holla said.

At the start of the press conference, Halsema extended her sympathies to Hajar’s family and close friends.

“For nearly two weeks they lived between hope and fear,” she said. “A few days ago the worst possible scenario was confirmed: the 29-year-old Hajar had been violently deprived of her life.

“I ask everyone to respect the peace and anonymity of the family.”