Codey Herrmann was charged with the rape,murder of student Aya Maasarwe; Her father urges forgiveness as the body heads home from Australia to Israel
Her body was found by passersby near a tram stop in Melbourne early Wednesday, hours after she was attacked on her way home.
Aya Maasarwe's murder shocked Australia and sparked a huge outpouring of grief that saw thousands attend gatherings in her memory, and raised questions about the safety of women on public streets.
Her father Saeed Maasarwe, who flew to Melbourne after news of his daughter's death, said he was very surprised and comforted by the outpouring of support, and called for more forgiveness.
"This is the message we want to send, we want to make the world more peace and more safety, and more beautiful, and more smile; and more forgive each other," a tearful Maasarwe told reporters late Monday.
"It's not from me, this is Aya. I talk in my voice, but this is Aya's mind," he said, adding that he wished people would "see the light in the dark... and not be in the dark."
The father has asked local media to spell his daughter's name as "Aya" instead of "Aiia" as stated in her passport to reflect that she is a Palestinian of Israeli citizenship.
Her family invited the public to a Muslim ceremony for Aya Maasarwe at a Melbourne mosque late Monday to thank them for their support and love.
Codey Herrmann was charged with her rape and murder and remanded in custody pending another hearing on June 7. The court was told it was Herrmann's first time in custody and he could be vulnerable due to his Aboriginal heritage and age, The Age newspaper said.
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Photos: The victim, Aya Maasarwe; The accused killer, Codey Herrmann; The father at a vigil held for his daughter in Melbourn several days ago; The site where she was murdered