Father of strangled Norwegian student Martine Vig Magnussen, launches emotional appeal

Published: 12 February 2010
by CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS and CHARLOTTE SUNDBERG

THE father of murdered Norwegian student Martine Vik Magnussen has led an emotional ­candle-lit procession to the house where her semi-naked body was found two years ago. 

On Wednesday, Odd Petter Magnussen walked from the college where both his daughter and Farouk Abdulhak, the man police believe strangled her, studied, to number 222 Great Portland Street where her body was found. 

A European warrant has been issued for the arrest of Mr Abdulhak, 22, although police believe he is in hiding in his native Yemen. Officers have been prevented from questioning him as Britain and Yemen currently have no extradition agreement.

Surrounded by posters with the words “Justice for Martine” written on them, Mr Magnussen, 58, said: “This is the place I’ve least wanted to visit. A terrible act happened here, but in another way this is the last place Martine was alive, and that matters.” 

Earlier that day he had described his daughter as “a warm and kind person” who loved her London life after a false start studying medicine in Poland and said her friends and family “miss her tremendously”.

Mr Magnussen then lit a torch and laid flowers outside the building where police believe Ms Magnussen, 23, was raped and murdered after leaving the Maddox Club in Mayfair with college friend Mr Abdulhak on March 14, 2008. 

Two days later police discovered her body in the basement of the building, hidden beneath ­rubble, after a missing persons report was filed and the trail led to Mr Abdulhak’s flat. 

He is the son of billionaire businessman Shaher Abdulhak, who founded Shaher Trading and whose empire includes petrol, soft drinks, tourism and property.

Aldwyn Cooper, principal of the Regent’s Business College school where Ms Magnussen and Mr Abdulhak were students, said:  “This is a very sad occasion. ­Martine was a part of the student life here at Regent’s and we miss her, but most of all her family and friends miss her.”

Earlier in the day Mr Magnussen used his first trip back to London since his daughter’s death to hold a press conference in an effort to put pressure on diplomatic efforts to extradite Mr Abdulhak.

Speaking from New Scotland Yard in Victoria, he called for the family of Mr Abdulhak, who police believe left the country via private jet the day before she was found dead, to hand him over. 

“This question of justice is something that has to do with right and wrong,” said Mr Magnussen. 

“Irrespective of the political or religious environment in the world, justice has to prevail.

“That is the question the suspect’s family have to deal with, and I hope they come to the conclusion that will be in line with the police here and our family.”

Police said Ms Magnussen was not the girlfriend of Mr Abdulhak. They were classmates who, according to Detective Chief Inspector Jessica Wadsworth, were used to spending time together. 

Their friends would have seen nothing out of the ordinary when they left the club together, she said, adding: “From speaking to others in the social group they went to college together and were described as friends who socialised in the same group on a fairly regular basis. It wasn’t a question of her going home with a random bloke, it was someone she trusted. 

“It’s no secret he’s wanted for the murder and rape of Martine. Only the two of them will ever know what happened in the flat that night.”

Mr Magnussen said the government could put pressure on Yemeni officials to hand Mr Abdulhak over in return for assistance with terrorist activity. 

Westminster Coroner Dr Paul Knapman said a full inquest would be held “as soon as practicable” and indicated it could go ahead in the absence of a trial.