Italian speaks on racism, apology as he faces two charges for killing Nigerian

Filippo Claudio Giuseppe Ferlazzo could face murder and robbery charges for killing Alika Ogorchukwu, the 39-year-old Nigerian vendor in Italy, last week.

Roberta Bizzarri, the defence lawyer in the case, made this known on Monday after Justice Claudio Bonifazi, who presided over the hearing at a jail near Ancona, ordered the Italian to remain in jail as the investigation continues.

Bizzarri said Ferlazzo “gave his version of the facts and said he was sorry,” adding that Ferlazzo, who is white, said, “there was no racial element” involved.

Asked if Ferlazzo was saying sorry to the victim’s family, the lawyer said, “Yes, to the family.”

Ferlazzo took Ogorchukwu’s cell phone, too, which added the robbery allegation.

“Ferlazzo’s ‘sorrys’ aren’t enough, now only justice is needed and not vendetta,’’ Orgochukwu’s family said in a statement by their lawyer, Francesco Mantella.

“It’s difficult to understand what happened,’’ Mantella said, adding that the widow, Charity Oriachi, wanted to see the suspect “face to face” to try to understand why he killed her husband.

Police took Ferlazzo, 32, into custody on July 29, minutes after the vendor was beaten and left dead on a busy shopping street in the beach town of Civitanova Marche as bystanders, including two who filmed the attack, watched.

An autopsy this week will determine the cause of Ogorchukwu’s death.