The victim's family in Algeria found out about the verdict three weeks later. They say they were kept in the dark throughout the trial. A woman and her male accomplice were sentenced to life in prison following an month murder trial in Germany that sparked headlines across the world. But the family of the victim, Khadidja O. She learned about the verdict when a BI reporter contacted her three weeks after the sentencing.
While Khadidja's father was represented at the trial, her family in Algeria found themselves shut out. A language barrier and complex family dynamics may have contributed to German authorities' communication breakdown with the murder victim's relatives overseas. Prosecutors said Khadidja was tracked down on Instagram by a woman who looked like her in a plot to fake her own death. They said a year-old Iraqi German woman, identified as Shahraban K. In Germany, it is customary to refer to victims and defendants only by their first names and an initial.
Prosecutors said that with the help of an accomplice identified as Sheqir K. For a time, authorities believed Shahraban had been killed. In August , police discovered a bloodied body with dozens of stab wounds and initially identified it as hers.
However, an autopsy later revealed the victim as Khadidja, whom police said bore a "striking resemblance" to Shahraban. This discovery led to Shahraban and, later, Sheqir being named as suspects in the murder. Partway through the trial, prosecutors alleged that Shahraban had previously tried to hire someone to murder a relative. Both defendants were ultimately found guilty of Khadidja's murder, and Shahraban was also convicted of attempted incitement to murder her brother-in-law.
Thomas Schlappa, a press officer for Ingolstadt's regional court, confirmed that the two defendants were sentenced to life in prison on December He said that Shahraban's actions were deemed so severe that probation is "not an option.
