A man has been convicted of the murder of a hotel employee at a railway station in Walsall. Deng Chol Majek, a Sudanese asylum seeker 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, aged 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 her train home after work around 11:15 pm.
During the trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court, CCTV footage was presented showing Majek staring at Ms. Whyte and intentionally bumping into her at the hotel entrance just before her shift ended. Subsequently, he was observed following her into Bescot Stadium station and later exiting the platform. Majek was later seen socializing with friends in a nearby car park close to the Park Inn hotel.
A hotel housing officer mentioned that Majek appeared to be in good spirits in the car park, dancing with friends and seeming happier. Throughout the trial, Majek denied the charges of murder, possessing a screwdriver, and being present at the train station during the attack. He claimed he was outside the hotel at the time of the incident. Majek’s statements in court were translated by a Sudanese Arabic interpreter.
Majek explained to the court that a mistaken identity document in Germany led to an incorrect birthdate of 27 years old listed by authorities.
