Hyacinth Chinweuba
A mother of two, Victoria Marcus, who was allegedly assaulted by her German neighbour, Knoop Jens, has called on the federal and Lagos State governments to come to her aid as her life is no longer safe.
Jens and his lover, Ehehiye Marayah, had on December 16, 2018, attacked Marcus and stabbed her in her left palm after she complained about a contribution in their estate in the Apapa area of the state.
Oriental News Nigeria learnt that after Victoria reported the incident at the Trinity Police Station, the lovers were charged but the matter was stalled due to the lockdown imposed on the state by the Federal Government as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 44-year-old Victoria alleged that despite the fact that the matter was in court, the couple had continued to verbally and physically attack her.
She alleged that on June 5, 2020, the lovers and a yet-to-be-identified accomplice ran into her at a pub in the estate, insulted her, smashed her phone, assaulted and almost strangled her, adding that she was rescued by her husband and the estate security guards.
Narrating her ordeal, Victoria stated, “My husband is an expatriate, who works with a company in Nigeria. We have been married for 15 years and we live in an estate in Apapa designated for the staff members of the company.
“My travail started on December 16, 2018, when I went to the estate’s restaurant to have a plate of pepper soup. Some few neighbours and I met and were having a conversation. One of them complained that people contributed money for picnic and when they got there, they didn’t have food to eat. I called the attention of Jens’ lover to the matter, because the picnic held at their beach house. She flared up and started ranting.
“Jens, who was not too far from the table where we sat, came close and on hearing about the matter, became violent. He picked a bottle, broke it and was heading in my direction, but the people there stopped him.
“I wanted to run but fell. He rushed to me and wanted to stab me in the abdomen, but I covered my abdomen with my left hand and he stabbed me in my palm. He wanted to grab my neck, but a neighbour rescued me.
“I reported the incident at the Trinity Police Station. Three months into the investigation, Jens sent people to me to ask how much I wanted; he never came to say he was sorry for what he did, so I refused his financial offer, because I want justice. I know a Nigerian cannot go to his country and do the same.
“Jens also wrote a petition to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad alleging that I was the one who sent a four-man gang to attack him. The case was transferred to the SCIID, and upon the advice of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, the case was charged in August 2019. ”
Victoria added that the lockdown stalled the case and brought more trouble for her because whenever Jens and his lover set eyes on her, they would start abusing her.
She stated, “However, on June 5, 2020, my husband and I went to the staff pub within the estate and we met Jens and Marayah there. I walked to the fridge to get drinks, while my husband got a space for us. Marayah walked up to me and started another session of insults, but I choose not to answer her and concentrated on the drinks I came to pick.
“I want the Nigerian government to come to my aid. My life is being threatened by these foreigners.”
When contacted, Jens refuted the claims of Marcus, but refused further comments on the matter.
He said, “Victoria is a lair; there is nothing to talk about; she was the one, who attacked me. I don’t know why she’s going this far.
“The matter is in court and I don’t want anything I say to be used against me in court or have any problem with the police.