Suspect 'argued over student murder'

Ms Ok-shin was stabbed three times in the back

The jury in the trial of a man accused of murdering a Korean student has been told a prostitute overheard him arguing about the stabbing.

Jong Ok-Shin, 26, was found slumped on a pavement having been stabbed three times in the back as she walked home from a night out with friends in Bournemouth, Dorset, on 12 July 2002.

Omar Benguit, 31, of Winton, Bournemouth, denies murdering the language student, known as Oki to her friends, who later died at Poole General Hospital.

The jury at Winchester Crown Court heard evidence from a woman who worked as a prostitute in the town.

She said she picked up Mr Benguit and two other men, and unwittingly drove them to and from the scene of the murder.

Violent rape

She told the court the men left the car temporarily and on their return, the 26-year-old heard Mr Benguit and Nicholas Gbadamosi, who is accused of assisting an offender, arguing over the killing.

The woman said she begged the men to let her go and see Ms Ok-Shin, but they refused.

The third man has not been identified by police.

All three then subjected the woman to a violent rape, she said.

Under cross-examination, the witness admitted she had not told detectives the whole truth in the first two of three police statements, but that was because she was frightened.

Mr Gbadamosi, 33, of West Howe, Bournemouth, denies charges of disposing of a bag of clothing into the River Stour between 12 July and 27 August 2002 in order to help Mr Benguit's alleged cover-up.

Both co-defendants deny a joint charge of raping the witness.

Mr Gbadamosi further denies raping the woman in a car at some time between 12 July 2002 and 1 August 2002.

The trial continues.