Asylum-seeker ‘tired of life’ after UK stay rejected
AN ASYLUM-seeker who had witnessed horrific Islamic State beheadings and murders found himself in the UK without accommodation and money after his application to stay here failed.
Eyob Tefera had entered the UK in 2015, using people-traffickers and travelling through Sudan, Libya and Italy, before ending up in the “Jungle” camp in Calais.
He had been studying sports and science in Addis Ababa and had left Ethiopa because members of the Oromo tribe, from which he came, were in danger of “disappearing”, an inquest in Swansea heard.
On arriving in the UK he had hoped to continue his studies.
But he ended up killing himself in September last year after finding himself in Swansea without shelter or resources.
Friends and supporters said the English-speaking 32-year-old – who claimed to be five years younger in order to help his job prospects – had been let down by a lack of support after his asylum claim had been rejected.
His experiences in his life had led to him suffering from what friends believed was post-traumatic stress disorder.
The inquest into his death was held at Swansea Civic Centre, attended by friends and supporters, in which a statement by friend Mohammed Sahid was read, with whom he would occasionally stay, and share food.
Mr Sahid said that on one occasion Mr Tefera had told him he had not eaten for four days, but had felt ashamed to beg.
Mr Tefera had also received support from members of the Linden Church Trust, which runs the Red Cafe Community Project, some letting him stay at their own homes.
Chris Matthews, of the Red Cafe project, said the death of a friend in Bristol also had a “significant impact on his mental health”, and he started to suffer from paranoia, fearing people were watching him.
Just under a fortnight before his body was pulled from Swansea’s marina in September last year, Mr Tefera had attempted suicide by cutting his ankles and wrists while in a shower at the home of the Sisters of Mercy in The Strand, where he had been staying.
He was taken to Morriston Hospital, where his wounds were stitched, and days later he received counselling at Swansea YMCA. He had also been referred to doctors in Swansea’s High Street, who said he appeared “frustrated and angry with his current situation”.
A mental health liaison nurse said Mr Tefera had told him he was “tired of life due to his failed asylum application, and lack of funds.”
The night before he was last seen Mr Tefera had attended a house party in St Helen’s Road to celebrate the Ethiopian new year, but left at midnight to meet another man, at whose home he was due to spend the night.
CCTV images taken from outside the National Waterfront Museum showed him climbing through the railings above a 10-foot drop into the water at Swansea’s marina.
A post-mortem examination of his body, found days later, revealed traces of alcohol in his system, although it was difficult to assess how much he had in his body at the time of his death. It concluded he had likely drowned from drowning.
Acting senior coroner Colin Phillips concluded: “Eyob had been exposed to some horrific incidents in his short life... he witnessed atrocities by Isis, and even in this country when a close friend was murdered in Bristol.
“He was clearly suffering from stress-related problems to his asylum application, housing and financial situation.”
He said police had found no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, and added: “He must have known when he entered the water he was not going to exit it. I am sure he did commit suicide in those circumstances.” homelessness