A Nigerian national suspected of raping a 42-year-old woman in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm—who survived the attack by pretending to be dead—should not have been in Germany at the time of the crime, according to authorities.
Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) confirmed that the man’s asylum application had been rejected on September 15, 2025, and that a deportation order had been issued. However, officials said the removal could not be carried out due to “factual or legal reasons,” meaning the suspect remained in the country without legal residence status.
Police arrested the 30-year-old Nigerian at the end of February. Investigators say he first harassed the victim on a train from Ingolstadt to Pfaffenhofen, then followed her, assaulted her, and raped her near the station. The woman survived after pretending to be dead, at which point the suspect fled.
The suspect was identified through CCTV footage, facial recognition analysis by the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office, and descriptions provided by the victim.
He was already known to police. A Munich court had previously handed him a suspended sentence of one year and two months. In addition, several cases—including bodily harm, property damage, and attempted dangerous bodily injury—remain pending before the courts. Other investigations, including benefit fraud and illegal entry, were discontinued.
The suspect is currently being held in pre-trial detention.
