Man detained in NI allegedly convicted of Dublin rape

A man detained in Belfast has been alleged to have committed a rape in Dublin under a different name, according to the High Court in Belfast. The case involves Teklemariam Lijam, a 42-year-old Eritrean national with no fixed abode, who is facing new charges including failure to register as a sex offender, providing false information to police, and perverting the course of justice. He was arrested in March 2026 after Interpol sought assistance from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) to locate a high-risk sex offender known as Bereket Mekonnen. Mekonnen was wanted for not informing Irish authorities of a change of address following a 2007 conviction for rape. The court heard that fingerprints on file for Mekonnen matched those of Lijam, as revealed by Crown counsel. Lijam arrived in the UK in 2024 but was later prosecuted for a separate exposure offense. Prosecutors claim Lijam used multiple identities to conceal his criminal history, with his name and date of birth identified as false. A barrister representing the prosecution argued that Lijam intentionally avoided using the name associated with the Dublin rape case to mislead the courts. During interviews, Lijam did not deny that the individual in a newspaper photo linked to the earlier case was himself, though he could not verify the accuracy of the image due to language barriers. British Home Office investigations into his true identity are ongoing, and a European arrest warrant is being prepared in the Republic of Ireland. Counsel opposing bail emphasized that Lijam uses two different names and that police have valid reasons to question the authenticity of his identity. Defending counsel, Kelly Doherty, challenged the allegations against her client, noting his refugee status in the UK. She explained that Lijam fled Eritrea to escape military service and warned that returning to his home country would put his life at risk. Doherty also contended that her client denies being the person identified by Irish authorities. Despite these arguments, bail was refused by Lady Chief Justice Siobhan Keegan, who expressed doubts about the safety of releasing Lijam given potential risks of reoffending or fleeing. Keegan concluded that no conditions could adequately mitigate the risks posed by Lijam’s situation. The court proceedings highlight the complexities of cross-border law enforcement cooperation and the challenges of verifying identities in cases involving individuals with multiple aliases. As the legal process continues, the outcome will likely influence future efforts to track and prosecute offenders who attempt to evade justice through deception.