Panel protects another murder suspect from deportation
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A North Macedonian man accused in the torture and murder of a 93-year-old pensioner in **Köln-Neubrück (Cologne-Neubrück)** was reportedly protected from deportation for years by a German hardship panel.
According to reports, **Bajram K.**, a 36-year-old rejected asylum seeker born in **Skopje**, repeatedly entered Germany despite being deported multiple times. He eventually received temporary residence permits from immigration authorities in **Münster**, allowing him to remain in the country.
Investigations now reveal that the **Härtefallkommission (Hardship Commission)** of **Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine-Westphalia)** played a key role in delaying his deportation. In 2018, the commission recommended that Bajram K. and his five-member **Roma family** be allowed to stay, citing humanitarian concerns, including the fact that the family members were deaf and faced major integration challenges.
The commission highlighted the family’s participation in **MAMBA (labor market integration program for migrants)**, as well as efforts to learn **Deutsche Gebärdensprache (German Sign Language)**. Reports from schools and support organizations described the children’s positive development and argued that deportation could harm their education and social progress.
However, immigration officials had reportedly raised serious concerns before the decision. Authorities noted that Bajram K. had a prison sentence in **North Macedonia**, lacked economic independence, and was receiving benefits under the **Asylbewerberleistungsgesetz (Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act)**. Officials also stated there was little evidence of successful economic integration, warning against allowing the family to remain.
Investigators later discovered Bajram K. had a history of alleged criminal behavior, including property offenses, violent incidents, sexual offenses, and traffic-related crimes, although many cases did not lead to convictions. His residence permits expired in 2021, after which he was deported for a third time. He allegedly returned illegally three years later and was eventually arrested in **Salzburg**.
Prosecutors now accuse Bajram K., his father **Nikola K.**, and another alleged accomplice of involvement in the brutal murder of the elderly man in Cologne. Authorities say DNA evidence and witness statements have strengthened the case, while one accomplice has reportedly provided damaging testimony against both suspects.
The controversy has also expanded to Nikola K., who was allegedly protected from deportation by the hardship commission as early as 2017 despite numerous prior convictions and no employment history. The case has triggered renewed scrutiny over whether humanitarian review panels properly assess public safety risks when making deportation recommendations.