A senior detective from the Metropolitan Police has issued a renewed appeal to the man suspected of raping and murdering Norwegian student Martine Vik Magnussen, calling on him to return to the UK and face justice — 17 years after her tragic death.

Martine, 23, was found dead in the basement of a property on Great Portland Street on 16 March 2008, two days after she was reported missing by friends. A post-mortem revealed she had died from compression to the neck, and investigators believe she was raped around the time of her death.

CCTV evidence quickly identified Farouk Abdulhak as the main suspect. He had been seen with Martine at Maddox nightclub in Mayfair on the evening of 14 March 2008, before fleeing the UK hours later. He first travelled to Egypt, then on to Yemen — where he has remained ever since, evading arrest and extradition.

A Father’s Plea for Justice

Marking nearly two decades without accountability, Martine’s father, Odd Petter Magnussen, made a heartfelt plea directly to Abdulhak.

“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,” he said.
“For 17 years, justice has been denied as Farouk Abdulhak remains a free man in Yemen. Martine’s voice was silenced, but we must not be silent for her.”

Martine’s family have remained vocal advocates for justice and have also championed the fight against violence towards women and girls. In her memory, they established a park in Myanmar, which serves as a safe space for women and hosts an annual women’s rights conference.

Detective’s Message to Abdulhak: ‘Face Your Responsibilities’

Detective Inspector Jim Barry, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, reiterated the force’s unwavering commitment to the case.

“Despite Abdulhak’s refusal to come to the UK, we are as committed today as we were in 2008 to get justice for Martine.”

The Met has released a new image of Abdulhak in hopes that someone might persuade him to come forward. DI Barry issued a direct appeal:

“You have been running and hiding for 17 years. You participated in a BBC documentary, offering your version of events. 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.”

Met’s Renewed Focus on Protecting Women and Girls

The force has recently strengthened its efforts to combat violence against women and girls (VAWG). The Met was moved out of special measures last month by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, citing improvements in public protection.

Over the past year, the Met has:

• Deployed 564 officers and staff into public protection roles.
• Enhanced teams handling domestic abuse, rape, and sexual offence cases.
• Charged 450 more individuals with rape or sexual offences compared to the previous year.

Police continue to urge anyone with information about Farouk Abdulhak to come forward. The pursuit of justice for Martine Vik Magnussen remains one of the Met’s longest-running murder investigations.

Would you like me to create a shorter social media version or headline suggestions?