A man has been convicted of the murder of a hotel employee in an assault at a train station platform.
Deng Chol Majek, an asylum seeker from Sudan claiming to be 19 years old, was residing at the Park Inn hotel in Walsall when he was accused of the killing. The victim, Ms. Whyte, 27, was fatally stabbed in the head 23 times on October 20 last year and passed away in the hospital three days later. Ms. Whyte was attacked while waiting for a train after her work shift around 11:15 pm. Evidence presented during the trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court included CCTV footage showing Majek staring at the victim at the hotel entrance at the end of her shift, followed by deliberately bumping into her.
Subsequently, Majek was observed trailing Ms. Whyte into Bescot Stadium station and later exiting the platform. He was then seen socializing with friends, smoking, and drinking in a car park close to the hotel.
According to a hotel staff member, Majek appeared more relaxed and cheerful in the car park, engaging in dancing with his friends in mobile phone footage shown to the jury as they returned to his hotel room.
Throughout the court proceedings, Majek refuted the charges of murder, possessing a screwdriver, and being present at the train station during the stabbing incident, claiming he was outside the hotel at the time. His statements in court were translated by a Sudanese Arabic interpreter.
During his testimony, Majek explained discrepancies in his age recorded in Germany, attributing it to an error on an identification document and stating he left Sudan at 16 years old.
In a statement, Senior Investigator DCI Paul Attwell expressed dismay over the “brutal and unprovoked” attack on the victim, emphasizing the lack of remorse displayed by Majek and the anguish caused to the victim’s family during the trial.
The investigator commended the victim’s family for their resilience and grace throughout the investigation, highlighting the love and support they exhibited during a challenging period.
Attwell urged remembrance of the victim’s life and legacy, emphasizing the need to honor her memory rather than focusing on the perpetrator.
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