Harun Jama murder: Renewed appeal by Oxford police six years on

Harun Jama was found stabbed in January 2018

Six years after a teenager was fatally stabbed in Oxford police have renewed an appeal for information about his murder.

Harun Jama, 16, from Sparkhill, Birmingham, was found on a towpath at Friars Wharf on 3 January 2018 and died later in hospital.

Despite a number of arrests no one has ever been prosecuted for his murder.

Thames Valley Police said it believed there were still witnesses that held vital information about the killing.

Det Supt Andy Howard said "Today marks six years to the day that Harun needlessly died in this horrific and brutal attack.

"Whilst we have spoken to a large number of these people, we firmly believe that there are still others who were present who we have yet to identify and speak to.

"There may be many reasons why these people have not yet come forward, but I would again ask and encourage these people to please do so and tell the investigation team what they know.

"I also firmly believe that some individuals we have already spoken to may hold more information than what they have so far divulged to us."

Gunshot residue

A man arrested on suspicion of Harun's murder was released without charge in November 2019.

An inquest into the teenager's death in 2021 found he had been unlawfully killed.

The court heard Harun had travelled to Oxford to deal Class A drugs in 2017 and was caught by police and arrested.

To repay the debt to his dealer for losing the drugs, he was sent back to the city three or four times a week.

Eyewitnesses reported hearing a bang or a pop in Friars Wharf at about 19:45 GMT, then seeing Harun running away from a man riding a bike.

Harun received deep stab wounds to the abdomen, leg and chest. Each of which would have been fatal, a post-mortem examination found.

Harun's body was found on the River Thames towpath next to Friars Wharf

The coroner's court also heard he may have fired a gun before he was stabbed, but no weapon has ever been found.

A low presence of gunshot residue was found on his right hand, and forensic experts said it meant he had either fired a gun or been close to one when it was fired.

"Harun's family have had to endure six long years without their beloved son and brother, and I cannot begin to imagine what they have been going through knowing that no one has yet been brought to account for his murder," said Det Supt Howard.

"I am therefore appealing to the local community in Oxford as well as friends and associates of Harun to look into their conscience and tell us what they know."