Police have launched a fresh appeal for the son of an Arab billionaire suspected of raping and murdering a student 17 years ago.
Martine Vik Magnussen, 23, was discovered dead in the basement of a home on Great Portland Street on March 16 2008 after she was reported missing by friends.
A post-mortem examination found that Martine had died from neck compression. There was also evidence that the student had been raped before she was killed.
Farouk Abdulhak was identified by CCTV as a main suspect. He had spent time with Martine at the Maddox Nightclub on March 14 and the pair attended the same college.
Hours after her death, Abdulhak fled the country for Egypt before travelling on to Yemen. Police are now calling on him to return to the UK and hand himself in.
His father, Shaher Abdulhak, was the owner of a business empire in Yemen and one of the country’s richest men.
Martine’s father Peter said: “On March 8, International Women’s Day, I was once again painfully reminded that my daughter, Martine Vik Magnussen was brutally raped and murdered in London in 2008.
“For 17 years, justice has been denied as Farouk Abdulhak remains a free man in Yemen.
“Violence against women and girls is a crisis that affects families worldwide and Martine’s case is a stark reminder that justice delayed is justice denied.
“Martine’s voice was silenced, but we must not be silent for her.”
Abdulhak told a BBC documentary in 2023 that Martine’s death was the result of an ‘accident gone wrong’.
He said: ‘I did something wrong. It was a mistake.’
Detective Inspector Jim Barry, who leads the investigation from the Met Police’s Specialist Crime Command, said: “Despite Abdulhak’s refusal to come to the UK, we are as committed today as we were in 2008 to get justice for Martine.”
“We’re releasing a more up to date image of Farouk Abdulhak and hope that someone can encourage him to do the right thing and hand himself into UK police.
“My message is directly to Farouk Abdulhak.
“You have been running and hiding for 17 years. You participated in a BBC documentary, providing your explanation as to what happened. It is time to grow up and face your responsibilities to Martine and her family.
“Come to the UK now and explain all to a court and jury. Our pursuit of you will not stop.”