PA Femi Nandap killed Dr Jeroen Ensink last year , six days after earlier knife charges were dropped

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Femi Nandap, 23, killed Dr Jeroen Ensink last December – six days after earlier knife charges were dropped. Dr Ensink, 41, a leading expert in tropical medicine, had become a father only 11 days before he died. Nigerian-born Nandap was sent to Broadmoor secure hospital for life but Nadja Ensink Tiech said her husband’s death could have been avoided.

Seven months before the killing, Nandap attacked a policeman after he was seen waving two knives in public. But he was given bail, despite warnings about his mental state, and charges were then dropped. Mrs Ensink Tiech, 37, told the Old Bailey: “Knowing what happened to Jeroen might have been prevented has been a really hard fact to live with.

PA Nigerian-born Nandap was sent to Broadmoor secure hospital for life

We always ensure that any lessons to be learned are learned Crown Prosecution Service spokesman

“But the case is not unique. Mental health incidents keep happening again and again. Why is there no concerted action to address this? “If a person with a history of mental health problems is found wandering around with a knife and attacks a police officer, that person must be detained in a secure unit for proper assessment and treatment and not be given bail so easily. “I hope following Jeroen’s death an independent investigation will take place and answers will be provided to these simple but pressing questions.”

Nandap admitted manslaughter due to diminished responsibility. The court heard he called himself a black Messiah and told doctors that voices in his head ordered him to make a sacrifice by killing a man. He was arrested and charged in May last year after waving two kitchen knives around in Edmonton, north London, then punching and biting an officer sent to the incident.

PA Nadja Ensink Tiech said her husband’s death could have been avoided

But Nandap was granted bail to go to Nigeria in June, despite his sister giving police a medical certificate saying he was suffering from depression with psychosis and was unfit to travel. On December 23 last year, the knife and assault charges were dropped due to “insufficient evidence”. Six days later, on December 29, bare-footed Nandap confronted Dr Ensink outside his home in Islington, north London.

The Dutch doctor, who was holding a batch of cards marking the birth of his daughter Fleur, shouted: “No! not a knife!” Nandap chased and stabbed him. He bled to death at the scene.

JOE NEWMAN / SWNS Mrs Ensink Tiech heard her husbands screams, unaware that he was the victim

Mrs Ensink Tiech heard his screams, unaware that he was the victim. Dr Ensink was a senior lecturer at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. As a sanitation expert he had worked on vital projects in a string of Third World countries.

Recorder of London Nicholas Hilliard said: “Had he lived, his work could have improved the lives of millions. He contributed enormously to making the world a better place. It’s a dreadful irony, a man who devoted his life to helping people he’d never know was killed by a complete stranger.” Sentencing Nandap, of Woolwich, south London, the judge told him: “There is no saying when, if ever, it will be safe to release you.” Outside court Mrs Ensink Tiech said: “Jeroen worked so hard to make the world a better place. He was everyone’s friend but he was my soulmate. My life stopped on December 29.”