A Somali man is now on trial for rape and attempted murder of a 20-year-old Dutch woman in a case that was not previously reported, despite the case occuring in May 2024 in the Westerpark neighborhood of Amsterdam.
The Public Prosecution Service (OM) has demanded a five-year prison sentence combined with TBS (mandatory treatment) for of the suspect, Mohammed H., who was brought to the Netherlands when he was seven.
Mohammed H., who was apprehended at the scene by police, appeared in court yesterday for the substantive hearing. The Somali previously told police he would never want to commit a sex crime, but has a long criminal record consisting of eight pages, primarily for theft. He is a frequent cannabis user and continued to use drugs even while detained for the latest rape case.
The incident began late one night in May 2024, following a café visit, according to AT5.nl.
🇳🇱First, a Dutch woman was raped and beaten. It was all caught on surveillance camera, but police never released the footage or an image of the suspect.
A few days later, the African migrant Chris Jude raped and murdered 17-year-old Lisa.
A complete failure of the Dutch police… pic.twitter.com/82q4QssIWQ
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) December 8, 2025As the victim walked along the Spaarndammerstraat, she realized a man was following her. The assailant grabbed her by the neck, dragged her into the park, and physically abused her. According to the OM, he also choked her during the assault.
“The worst nightmare has been experienced by the complainant,” the Public Prosecutor stated.
Despite being unable to breathe properly, the woman attempted to fight back and scream for help. She testified to the police that the suspect repeatedly threatened to kill her. The district attorney emphasized the trauma of the event.
The attack was interrupted only thanks to two local residents who heard the woman screaming. One of them immediately dialed 911, reporting that it sounded as though the victim was fighting for her life. After placing the call, the witness heard nothing for several minutes.
The victim’s lawyer, Chris Sent, emphasized that while these locals acted, others did not.
“She is very grateful to the witnesses,” says Chris Sent. “She lay there at some point. She saw cyclists passing by there, who stopped. Then she screamed too. But they continued driving. And it was a few minutes later that these witnesses, these two people who woke up, had the presence of mind to call 911. And that is also her message: ‘Don’t look away, call 911.'”
“It’s just because of the declarant’s incredible fighting spirit, the adrenaline that apparently came loose on her, and the police’s intervention that she’s still alive,” the prosecutor said. “All of the defendant’s actions were focused on death, and there was a significant chance of that consequence.”
Mohammed H. has been in pre-trial detention since his arrest. Throughout the hearing, he remained largely unresponsive. Aside from confirming his date of birth, he refused to speak, only occasionally nodding or shaking his head.
🇳🇱🇩🇪 Women in the Netherlands and Germany are now trying to defend themselves with "Smurf spray" after an asylum seeker raped and murdered 17-year-old Lisa.
"Since Lisa’s death, many of (self-defense) products have been sold out, including the Smurf spray."
Pepper spray is… pic.twitter.com/CorZ9UKhbi
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) September 2, 2025According to the lawyer, this behavior was particularly distressing for the victim. “That’s really, really tricky for her. She is still looking for explanations. And he doesn’t give anything at all. He doesn’t even say, ‘I invoke my right to remain silent.’ Apparently, he’s there with his eyes closed. With a hoodie on.”
Judges and prosecutors made several attempts to engage him, but were unsuccessful. H. had also been uncooperative with the Probation Service and the Pieter Baan Center (psychiatric observation clinic) prior to the trial.
🇳🇱🔥 A Dutch woman being harassed on the streets of Amsterdam by a Black male films herself for safety.
Then, her hero shows up. He pulls up his bike and holds her hand.
She's now asking TikTok to help her find the unknown man who came to her aid. pic.twitter.com/ljFnjDI1Yi
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) September 2, 2025The defense argued that alcohol and drugs played a role in the events of that night. However, the judge and the public prosecutor expressed a lack of confidence that H. would not re-offend in the future.
The Amsterdam-Amstelland Sexual Violence Center was also present during the hearing, with coordinator Aukje Bosman praising the courage of the victim.
