ON THE RUN
Who is Farouk Abdulhak and where is he now?
And why he refuses to return to the UK
FAROUK Abdulhak is wanted by the Metropolitan Police concerning the murder of Norwegian student Martine Vik Magnussen.
Here, we look at what he is suspected by police and where he is now.
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Who is Farouk Abdulhak?
Farouk Abdulhak is a former student at Regent's Business School London.
He is the son of one of Yemen’s richest and most powerful men.
He's no longer a suspect, he's now a killer."
Martine Vik Magnussen father
He is accused of murdering Norwegian student Martine Vik Magnussen on March 14, 2008.
What happened in Mayfair in 2008?
Martine, 23, was found dead in March 2008.
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Her body was found hidden under a pile of rubble in the basement of an apartment block in Great Portland Street, London.
An inquest found that had been strangled to death and sexually assaulted.
A number of her belongings remain missing, including earrings and shoes she was wearing on the night she vanished.
CCTV footage from the evening in question shows her leaving the Maddox Club at around 2 am with fellow Regent's Business School student, Farouk.
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Farouk was thought to have been a former boyfriend of Martine.
The pair got into a taxi together after leaving the club.
This was the last known sighting of her alive.
Farouk fled the UK to Yemen following her death on his father's private jet.
Farouk has never returned to the UK to face any questioning.
In March 2022, a woman in her 60s was arrested on the charge of assisting an offender, which was thought to be a breakthrough in the case.
Where is Farouk Abdulhack now?
Farouk still resides in Yemen.
In March 2023 it was reported that Abdulhak had admitted his role in Martine's death, blaming it on a 'sex accident gone wrong'.
BBC News Arabic Special Correspondent Nawal Al-Maghafi engaged in a series of texts with Farouk where he said: "I deeply regret the unfortunate accident that happened.
"I regret coming here [Yemen]. Should have stayed and paid the piper. It was just an accident.
"Nothing nefarious…Like I told you just a sex accident gone wrong.
"I don't know what happened, it's all a blur".
Farouk also said he was not ready to return to the UK because: "It’s too cold there. I don’t like the weather...I don’t think justice will be served.
“I find that the criminal justice system there is heavily biased.
"I find that they will want to make an example of me being a son of an Arab, being…a son of someone rich.”
Although the Metropolitan Police encouraged Farouk to return to the UK to face questioning, it was difficult as there is no extradition treaty between the UK and Yemen.
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Speaking to following Farouk's admission, Martine's father said: "It's a game-changer. He's no longer a suspect, he's now a killer.
"The fact that he's admitting his involvement means he is, by definition, a murderer."
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