Reward and fresh appeal for information over murder of James Akinwande in 1994
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The family of a teenager who was stabbed to death after leaving a nightclub 31 years ago have spoken of their “indescribable” pain and need for justice as a £20,000 reward was offered for help to solve his murder. James Akinwande, 18, was chased, beaten and stabbed by a large group of men after leaving the Vox nightclub in Brighton Terrace, Brixton, south London, at about 4.45am on January 16 1994.
His sister, Victoria Tawiah, speaking on the anniversary of his death on Thursday, said: “The pain we all felt and still feel is indescribable. Our lives have never been the same again. “Since his murder, we have all been left with a profound sense of emptiness, consumed with thoughts of him and the grief of his loss.”.
Detectives “are still actively searching for the group of young men involved in this horrific attack”, the Metropolitan Police said. The reward is for information that leads to the successful charge and conviction of the person or people responsible.
There had been fights during the music event that night, prompting Mr Akinwande and his friends to go home early. He was singled out from his friends outside Boots The Chemist in Brixton Road and was chased and attacked. Mr Akinwande managed to escape the group after getting loose from his jacket and ran towards a parked police van.
He collapsed and was given first aid by the officers before the ambulance arrived, but later died at King’s College Hospital due to stab wounds to his chest and left arm. The distinctive Fila jacket he was wearing was stolen on the night of the attack and is still missing.
