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Torso case boy 'identified' | Torso case boy 'identified' |
(35 minutes later) | |
By Angus Crawford BBC News | By Angus Crawford BBC News |
A murdered African boy whose torso was found in the River Thames in 2001 and whose identity has remained a mystery has been named by a key witness. | A murdered African boy whose torso was found in the River Thames in 2001 and whose identity has remained a mystery has been named by a key witness. |
Former Glasgow resident Joyce Osagiede, who now lives in Nigeria, told BBC News the boy's name was Patrick Erhabor. | Former Glasgow resident Joyce Osagiede, who now lives in Nigeria, told BBC News the boy's name was Patrick Erhabor. |
She claims she looked after him when she lived in Germany before he was trafficked into the UK. | She claims she looked after him when she lived in Germany before he was trafficked into the UK. |
Detectives - who named the boy "Adam" - believe he was murdered as part of a ritual sacrifice. | Detectives - who named the boy "Adam" - believe he was murdered as part of a ritual sacrifice. |
Adam's torso was found on 21 September 2001 near Tower Bridge in central London. | Adam's torso was found on 21 September 2001 near Tower Bridge in central London. |
His arms, legs and head had been expertly cut off. | His arms, legs and head had been expertly cut off. |
No-one has been charged with the murder. | No-one has been charged with the murder. |
Forensic tests showed he was from the Benin City area of Nigeria. | Forensic tests showed he was from the Benin City area of Nigeria. |
'Rituals' video | 'Rituals' video |
A tip-off led to Joyce Osagiede who, in 2002, was living in Glasgow. | A tip-off led to Joyce Osagiede who, in 2002, was living in Glasgow. |
Officers thought she was involved in some way, but due to a lack of evidence and doubts about her mental state she was deported to Nigeria. | Officers thought she was involved in some way, but due to a lack of evidence and doubts about her mental state she was deported to Nigeria. |
But last year Ms Osagiede contacted BBC News and said she was now prepared to reveal everything she knew about the case. | But last year Ms Osagiede contacted BBC News and said she was now prepared to reveal everything she knew about the case. |
A BBC team travelled to her home in Benin City in southern Nigeria, together with Nick Chalmers, a former detective who worked on the Adam investigation. | A BBC team travelled to her home in Benin City in southern Nigeria, together with Nick Chalmers, a former detective who worked on the Adam investigation. |
Ms Osagiede told the BBC she looked after the boy in the weeks before he was trafficked to London and then murdered. | Ms Osagiede told the BBC she looked after the boy in the weeks before he was trafficked to London and then murdered. |
For the first time she revealed what she claimed was his real name. | For the first time she revealed what she claimed was his real name. |
She said he was called Patrick Erhabor - and that his mother's surname was Oghogho - and she claimed the child was brought to her when she lived in Germany. | She said he was called Patrick Erhabor - and that his mother's surname was Oghogho - and she claimed the child was brought to her when she lived in Germany. |
In the past, she has told officers she then handed the boy over to a man she called "Bawa" who took him to the UK. | In the past, she has told officers she then handed the boy over to a man she called "Bawa" who took him to the UK. |
Now, for the first time, she has identified "Bawa" as Kingsley Ojo - a bogus asylum seeker who first came to London in 1997. | Now, for the first time, she has identified "Bawa" as Kingsley Ojo - a bogus asylum seeker who first came to London in 1997. |
"Bawa is called Kingsley," she says. | "Bawa is called Kingsley," she says. |
There is no evidence Kingsley Ojo was involved in the murder or that he knew what would happen to the boy. | There is no evidence Kingsley Ojo was involved in the murder or that he knew what would happen to the boy. |
Ms Osagiede says he took Adam from her and took him to the UK. | Ms Osagiede says he took Adam from her and took him to the UK. |
Ojo, who used three different identities, was arrested in London in 2002 by officers investigating the Adam case. | Ojo, who used three different identities, was arrested in London in 2002 by officers investigating the Adam case. |
In his flat they found in a plastic bag, a mixture of bone, sand and flecks of gold very similar to a concoction found in the dead boy's stomach. | In his flat they found in a plastic bag, a mixture of bone, sand and flecks of gold very similar to a concoction found in the dead boy's stomach. |
There was also a video marked "rituals" which showed a B-movie in which an actor cuts off the head of a man. | There was also a video marked "rituals" which showed a B-movie in which an actor cuts off the head of a man. |
Ojo said the video and mixture belonged to other people in the house and detectives could not establish a link between him and the Adam case. | Ojo said the video and mixture belonged to other people in the house and detectives could not establish a link between him and the Adam case. |
In 2004, he was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison for people smuggling. While in prison he contacted officers and offered to help with the inquiry. | In 2004, he was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison for people smuggling. While in prison he contacted officers and offered to help with the inquiry. |
But investigators concluded he was wasting police time and he was deported to Nigeria. | But investigators concluded he was wasting police time and he was deported to Nigeria. |
Retired detective Nick Chalmers, who worked on the inquiry for seven years, said Ojo was "someone I've been interested in for a long while - I've always suspected his involvement and now, for the very first time, we have a witness who is saying categorically Kingsley was involved". | Retired detective Nick Chalmers, who worked on the inquiry for seven years, said Ojo was "someone I've been interested in for a long while - I've always suspected his involvement and now, for the very first time, we have a witness who is saying categorically Kingsley was involved". |
Kingsley Ojo refused requests from BBC News for an interview, but he has always insisted he had nothing to do with the killing. | Kingsley Ojo refused requests from BBC News for an interview, but he has always insisted he had nothing to do with the killing. |
Mr Chalmers said the development with the name given by Ms Osagiede was "really interesting". | Mr Chalmers said the development with the name given by Ms Osagiede was "really interesting". |
But he also recognises she has been unreliable in the past and has psychiatric problems. She is currently taking medication. | But he also recognises she has been unreliable in the past and has psychiatric problems. She is currently taking medication. |
In 2011 she identified a photograph discovered by the police - and shown to her by a journalist - as the dead boy and said his name was "Ikpomwosa". | In 2011 she identified a photograph discovered by the police - and shown to her by a journalist - as the dead boy and said his name was "Ikpomwosa". |
Ms Osagiede now says that was all a misunderstanding and reveals the picture is "Danny, my friend Tina's son, he lives in Germany". | Ms Osagiede now says that was all a misunderstanding and reveals the picture is "Danny, my friend Tina's son, he lives in Germany". |
She says it was taken during a party in her old flat in Hamburg. | She says it was taken during a party in her old flat in Hamburg. |
We travelled to Hamburg to find out if she was telling the truth about the photo and tracked down Danny. | We travelled to Hamburg to find out if she was telling the truth about the photo and tracked down Danny. |
He immediately recognised the photo but was surprised to hear it had been used by newspapers and TV news around the world. | He immediately recognised the photo but was surprised to hear it had been used by newspapers and TV news around the world. |
"You said that I was already on TV and I didn't know it," he said. | "You said that I was already on TV and I didn't know it," he said. |
We located Ms Osagiede's old flat on the other side of the city where she looked after the boy she calls Patrick. | We located Ms Osagiede's old flat on the other side of the city where she looked after the boy she calls Patrick. |
There we met a man who saw the child. | There we met a man who saw the child. |
"The boy was running around, he was wearing shorts and a T-shirt and he was jumping all over this couch that they had and drawing on it," he said. | "The boy was running around, he was wearing shorts and a T-shirt and he was jumping all over this couch that they had and drawing on it," he said. |
The BBC shared what it had learned with the Metropolitan Police. | The BBC shared what it had learned with the Metropolitan Police. |
A spokesman for the Met said "the investigation remains on-going and any new information provided to the team will be thoroughly investigated". | A spokesman for the Met said "the investigation remains on-going and any new information provided to the team will be thoroughly investigated". |
Anyone with any information should call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. |