I’ve lost faith after suspect in my daughter’s death was released, says dad of student ‘murdered by billionaire’s son’
THE dad of a student raped and murdered after a night out says he has “lost faith” after a suspect was released with no further action.
Martine Vik Magnussen, 23, was celebrating coming top of her class at Regent’s Business School, London on March 14, 2008, when she vanished.
Two days later, her naked body was discovered partially buried underneath rubble in a basement on Great Portland Street in central London.
Her suspected killer Farouk Abdulhak fled to Yemen in his dad’s private jet and has refused to return to the UK for questioning.
In a further blow to Martine’s family, prosecutors have now decided not to charge a woman arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Martine’s dad Odd Petter Magnussen says the latest development has caused him to lose faith in the authorities as he continues battling for justice for his daughter.
He told The Times: “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.
“This current dislocation between me and the investigation team could be all 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.
“It disappoints me to have to say this publicly as I sincerely hope that the Met listens to me.
“I would welcome an opportunity to regain the Met’s confidence and to continue the fight to achieve justice for Martine.”
Chilling footage showed Martine, originally from Norway, walking to her death with Abdulhak after leaving Maddox nightclub.
The pair both studied international business relations together at the private Regent’s Business School.
Martine was raped and then strangled to death – with her Christian Dior earrings, snakeskin shoes, jeans and her Guess watch missing.
Abdulhak, who is the son of billionaire sugar magnate Shaher Abdulhak, fled on his dad’s private jet to Egypt and then Yemen.
Now aged 36, the fugitive playboy is on the Met’s most-wanted list and is the subject of an international arrest warrant.
In March, he exchanged hundreds of messages with a BBC reporter where he admitted: “I did something when I was younger. It was a mistake”.
He also told journalist Nawal Al-Maghafi it was “all a blur” but revealed feeling “uncomfortable” if he smells “certain female perfume”.
Speaking about Martine’s death, he added: “Just a sex accident gone wrong.
“No one knows because I could barely piece together what happened.”
Magnussen, 71, said he previously had a “productive relationship” with senior investigators in his daughter’s killing, which had given him “confidence” in the investigation.
But the dad claims this communication has since broken down over the years.
He said: “While I feel I am treated like any member of the public, we are still a family seeking justice for our murdered daughter.”
The female suspect, aged in her 60s, was arrested in March last year as cops made a fresh appeal to Abdulhak to come forward.
The Crown Prosecution Service have decided against charging her and she gas been released with no further action.
A spokesperson said: “Our thoughts remain with Martine’s family.
“We will continue to support the Metropolitan Police in their ongoing investigation and do everything in our power to bring the right offender to justice.”
While the Met added: “A case file was submitted to the CPS, who have decided that no charges would be brought against the woman.
“The woman was released with no further action. It remains the case that our collective ambition is to see Farouk Abdulhak stand trial for Martine’s murder and we will continue to do everything we can to see that this is achieved.”