Rudi Hermann Guede, the man who claimed yesterday he could identify the “real” murderer of Meredith Kercher, landed today at Fiumicino airport in Rome from Koblenz in Germany, where he was being held after being apprehended through Interpol. He was immediately transferred to Perugia's Capanne prison, where he is expected to be questioned by judges tomorrow.

Mr Guede, 20, an Ivorian immigrant with Italian citizenship, is one of three suspects in the death of Ms Kercher, 21, the British exchange student from Leeds University who died last month in Perugia after having her throat cut. According to Mr Guede's lawyers, he admits having had sex with Ms Kercher on the night of her death but says she was killed immediately afterwards, while he was in the bathroom, by two Italians who then threatened and wounded him with a knife. He said that as they were leaving the house he heard one say: “The negro is there, everyone will think he did it.”

Mr Guede did not oppose extradition and, indeed, asked to be taken to Italy as soon as possible to shed light on the murder. He claims he tried to help Ms Kercher as she was dying, but that after she died he panicked and fled.

He described one of the killers as being “a little shorter than me, with brown hair”.

New witness 'saw Meredith suspects together'

Amanda Knox, Raffaele Sollecito and Rudy Guede were see at the house in Perugia where the American student died

Multimedia

• Murder in Perugia

BACKGROUND

• Meredith Kercher: Q&A

• New DNA not from Meredith suspects

• Timings crucial to Kercher murder investigation

Related Links

• Meredith Kercher suspect's online Skype chat

The other suspects are the American student Amanda Knox, 19, who shared a small house in Perugia with Ms Kercher and two Italian girls, and her boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 22. Ms Knox initially said she was in the house and heard Ms Kercher screaming, but then told investigators she spent the night at Mr Sollecito's house. Mr Sollecito said he spent the night at home. Both have been held in prison since November 6.

On Friday a Perugia court refused to grant Mr Sollecito and Ms Knox house arrest, saying that there was ample evidence that they were in the house on the night of the murder and were in some way directly involved. The judges wrote that Mr Sollecito has a “fragile and easily influenced personality, with an attraction for violence”, while Ms Knox is described as “lacking in uninhibitions” and having a “complex personality that could strike again if freed”. They said the evidence indicates that Ms Kercher was killed “by people who knew her well”.

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