Father of Norwegian socialite student calls on Yemeni billionaire's on-the-run son who is accused of raping and murdering her to give himself up 17 years on
The father of a Norwegian student who was raped and murdered in London has called for the man accused of her killing to give himself up 17 years later.
Martine Vik Magnussen, 23, was found strangled to death underneath a block of Great Portland Street flats in March 2008 after a night out celebrating the end of her University exams.
A post-mortem examination determined Martine had died from compression to her neck, with enquiries too indicating that she had been raped around the time of her passing.
The Metropolitan Police's lead suspect, Farouk Abdulhak, studied with Martine and is the son of a Yemeni billionaire. He fled the United Kingdom just hours after the 23-year-old socialite's death.
But despite admitting the killing to a BBC journalist as part of their Murder in Mayfair documentary in 2023, Farouk remains unlikely to ever face justice for his alleged crime while he stays in hiding in Yemen, a country with no expedition treaty with the United Kingdom.
Now, 17 years on from the brutal killing of his daughter, Odd Petter Magnussen has called for Farouk to turn himself in.
'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,' said Martine's father.
'For 17 years, justice has been denied as Farouk Abdulhak remains a free man in Yemen.
Martine Vik Magnussen (pictured) was found strangled to death underneath a block of Great Portland Street flats in March 2008 after a night out celebrating the end of her University exams.
Prime suspect, son of a Yemeni billionaire, Farouk Abdulhak (pictured) fled the United Kingdom just hours after the 23-year-old socialite's death
'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.'
The Met Police had used CCTV footage to identify Farouk as their main suspect, with him pictured leaving Maddox nightclub in Mayfair with Martine on the night the Norwegian died.
Just hours later, the son-of-a-billionaire had fled the country to Egypt and then Yemen.
Detective Inspector Jim Barry, leading the police force's investigation from the 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.
Odd Petter Magnussen (pictured) has now called for his daughter's alleged killer to turn himself in 17 years later
Mr Magnussen (left) still visits London every year on the anniversary of his daughter's death to lay flowers
'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.'
In his first ever interview since Martine's death, Farouk admitted the killing to the BBC but affirmed that he has no intention of ever returning to the UK to face justice.
Farouk claimed he does not like the 'British weather' and claimed the justice system would discriminate against him because he was 'the son of a rich Arab.'
In messages to a BBC reporter, the alleged killer said: 'I did something when I was younger. It was a mistake. I deeply regret the unfortunate accident that happened.
'I regret coming here [to Yemen]. Should have stayed and paid the piper. It was just an accident. Nothing nefarious...just a sex accident gone wrong.'
He claimed not to remember the night of Ms Vik Magnussen's death, saying it was 'all a blur', but said he had flashbacks and felt 'uncomfortable' 'when he smells 'a certain female perfume'.
Farouk Abdulhak with Martine Vik Magnussen on the night she died. He told a BBC reporter earlier this year he had some involvement in her death
Martine Vik Magnussen is believed to also have been 'raped around the time of her death' in 2008
Asked if he had taken advice from a UK lawyer, he added: 'Trust me I'm legally f*****.'
Farouk and Martine had both been students at Regent's Business School in London prior to her death and are even believed to have 'previously dated.'
On the night of her passing, Martine and her friends partied with Farouk and his pals at the exclusive Maddox nightclub in Mayfair.
In the early hours of 14 March 2008, Farouk then offered to host an after-party at his apartment in Great Portland Street, central London.
Her friends declined the invitation as they became too tired to continue the night, but as Martine wanted to continue partying, she decided to go alone.
CCTV shows her leaving the club with Farouk at 02:59 - by sunrise, she would be dead - though her body would not be discovered for at least another 48 hours.
The battered, semi-naked body of Ms Magnussen was found under rubble in the basement of flats in Great Portland Street where Farouk lived.
An inquest ruled she had been unlawfully killed. It was determined in a coroner's report that Ms Magnussen had died as a result of 'compression to the neck'.
The report made clear how violently the student had died: her body showed 43 cuts and grazes, 'many of them typical of assault type injuries or those received in a struggle'.
In March 2022, police arrested a woman in her 60s on suspicion of assisting an offender in relation to Martine's killing, but the Crown Prosecution Service later announced that the suspect was to face no further prosecution.
The decision left Mr Magnussen, Martine's father, frustrated having spent years campaigning for justice for his daughter's death.
'Whilst I respect the decisions of the British authorities, I am struggling to understand why this is the outcome with not enough information to help me make sense of it,' he told The Times.
'This current dislocation between me and the investigation team could all be down to personalities but it has left me with feeling that I now lack confidence in the police investigation and their intention to keep fighting for a resolution in this case.'
