Murder victim 'had chopstick and spoon jammed in mouth'

A Kenyan man killed an employee at a PC cafe in Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, Wednesday. / Courtesy of Channel A

By Ko Dong-hwan

An African man who has applied for refugee status killed an employee at a PC cafe in Gwangju on Wednesday, and then robbed a customer.

The man, 28, a Kenyan, whose name has not been released, went to the cafe in South Jeolla Province in the morning. He chatted with an employee, a Korean man, 38.

The otherwise empty cafe’s security camera showed the two chatting briefly before going to a washroom in the basement.

The camera then shows the Kenyan returning to the cafe alone.

The man then robbed a male customer, 22, stealing his winter jacket and smartphone, and then fled. The customer reported the theft to police, who later arrested the Kenyan.

Police found the cafe employee dead in the washroom, with a chopstick and spoon jammed in his mouth.

The Kenyan reportedly remained silent when police interrogated him.

Police said the man arrived last year on a three-month visa to participate in a UNESCO International Workcamp from July to August. In August, he filed for refugee status.

A day before the murder, the Kenyan visited a police station and said he wished to go back to his country.

When police learned he had applied for refugee status, they reportedly said there was nothing they could do for him in this regard.