The body of Jeannah Danys Dinabongho Ibouanga, 17, was found in a river in the north of the country.
With our correspondent in Istanbul, Anne Andlauer
The Karabük prosecutor’s office announced the arrest of five people – three Turkish nationals and two foreign nationals – as part of the investigation into dina’s deathas her family nicknamed the Gabonese student.
The body of Jeannah Danys Dinabongho Ibouanga, 17, was found on March 26 in a river in Karabük, a province in the north of the country where the young woman was studying mechanical engineering. The autopsy report had concluded that he had died by drowning, a conclusion much criticized by Gabonese and Africans residing in Turkey.
The DHA news agency, citing sources close to the case, said the police found evidence of sexual harassment in the young woman’s phone. In this case, messages from one or more people who were supposed to help the student send an old telephone to Gabon. The autopsy concluded that he was dead. by drowning », and the absence on the body of traces of sexual assault or injuries by sharp object or firearm.
The investigation is closely followed in Turkey, in particular by African students – who share the hashtag #JusticeforDina on Twitter – and by the Gabonese embassy. On condition of anonymity, a diplomat had criticized the conduct of the investigation last week, believing that the young woman had been murdered. In a voice message sent to her mother shortly before her death, Dina complained of being the victim of racism and said she feared for her life. “ They refuse to return the phone to me because I am black “, she said in tears.