Hassan and Osman families: ‘We need justice for our boys’

Published: 15 July, 2010
by TOM FOOT

A CAMPAIGN has been launched to “find justice” for two grief-stricken Camden Town families hit by the deaths of young men.

The Justice for Sharma’arke and Faisal group is calling for police to look again at the shooting of Sharma’arke Hassan in May 2008 and the “unexplained” death of Faisal Osman, who was found dead in the River Lea in December 2006.

The families believe there are “remarkable similarities” between what they say are two failed police investigations.

Khadija Shireh, who is co-ordinating the campaign on behalf of both families, said: “We are calling for justice for Sharma’arke and for Faisal. We have set up a steering group and we are launching our campaign.

“We are asking how, and why, is it that there can be insufficient evidence in both of these cases. Has there been a lack of work? We want the police to do more investigations.”

The campaign group, made up of around 20 family members and Somalian community leaders in Camden, was formed after an Old Bailey jury cleared two young men and a boy of the murder of 17-year-old Sharma’arke last month.

The former Acland Burghley school pupil, who lived in Agar Grove, was shot in the back of the head in Gilbey’s Yard, Camden Town.

There was no forensic evidence linking the accused to the crime, no murder weapon was recovered and a computer hard drive containing crucial footage from the night was “lost” after becoming corrupted in a police laboratory.

The prosecution admitted during the eight-week trial there was “no direct evidence” and police were later accused of “bungling the investigation from start to finish”.

Faisal, whose brother Mahir was stabbed to death in Camden Town in January 2006, was found dead after a row at a party in east London.

No criminal charges were brought and a coroner’s inquest left a series of questions unanswered – including whether the 24-year-old was dead before he entered the water – and classed the death as “unexplained”.

Faisal’s family, who live in Gilbey’s Yard, believe police failed to interview key witnesses, including a man who he went to a party with on the night he was last seen alive.

Ms Shireh said: “The families want to stress that, in Camden, the police work very well with us in the community. They come and meet with us and talk to parents about alcohol and drugs. They give us information that is very beneficial. 

“The family of Sharma’arke was satisfied while the investigation was ongoing. But there are too many unanswered questions.”

Yesterday, a Met spokeswoman said they were unlikely to continue investigating the murder of Sharma’arke “unless fresh evidence was presented to us”, adding: “The murder of Sharma’arke Hassan has been thoroughly investigated and all of the evidence fully explored. All lines of enquiry have been exhausted at this time.”