A British teenager who was recently released from jail in Dubai has tragically lost his life in a traffic collision in Tottenham. Marcus Fakana, a 19-year-old, had spent several months imprisoned in Dubai after engaging in a consensual relationship with a British girl who was 17 at the time they were both on holiday.
The incident that led to Fakana’s imprisonment began when the girl’s parents alerted authorities upon returning to London. Despite the fact that both would have been of consenting age in the UK at 17 and 18, the UAE’s strict laws led to his arrest and sentencing. The UAE government’s official foreign travel advice states that “if a person aged 18 or over has a sexual relationship with a person aged 17 or under, they will be prosecuted for having a sexual relationship with a minor,” which underpinned Fakana’s incarceration.
After serving his sentence, Fakana was released earlier this year and returned home to the UK on July 3. However, just three months after his release, news emerged of his tragic death in a car accident. According to reports, the 19-year-old was a passenger in a vehicle in Tottenham that collided with another car. The incident occurred on October 3, when the vehicle reportedly failed to stop for police. Officers pursued the car for about a minute before losing sight of it, later finding that it had crashed on The Roundway, N17.
Emergency services, including the London Ambulance Service and London Air Ambulance, responded swiftly and took Fakana to the hospital. Despite their efforts, he sadly died, and his next of kin were informed. The driver of the car, also 19, was arrested at the scene and taken into police custody. He was later named Marwaan Mohamed Huseen and charged with causing death by dangerous driving, driving without insurance, driving without a license, and failing to stop. Huseen is set to appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court.
Radha Stirling, CEO of the charity Detained in Dubai, shared a heartfelt statement about Fakana’s untimely death. She described him as an “extraordinary young man caught in a deeply unjust system” and expressed heartbreak over losing their client and friend so soon after he had been freed. Stirling highlighted the pain of losing someone as a stark reminder of how precious life is, especially when time is unjustly taken away, such as through imprisonment.
Fakana’s ordeal in Dubai had been severe, and campaigners emphasized the impact of his imprisonment on his young life. Stirling noted that no one should endure such an experience and that Fakana was in a period of recovery after his release earlier this year.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the details of the fatal collision in an official statement. They acknowledged the pursuit of the vehicle on Pretoria Road and the subsequent collision on The Roundway. The police continue to support Fakana’s family at this difficult time, requesting privacy as they grieve the loss of their loved one. Meanwhile, the Directorate of Professional Standards and the Independent Office for Police Conduct have been informed about the circumstances surrounding the police pursuit and accident.
There were no other injuries reported from the collision, but the loss of Marcus Fakana has reverberated deeply among those who had followed his case closely and offered support. His story has shone a light on the complex and sometimes harsh legal challenges faced by travelers abroad, as well as the unforeseen dangers of life upon returning home.
