Police chief asks for patience in hunt for Mohammed's killer
The police chief charged with hunting down the killers of a foreign language student murdered in Hastings has appealed to the public for patience.
Detective Chief Inspector Trevor Bowles is heading up the investigation into the death of Mohammed al-Majed but even though a month has now passed nobody has been charged for his murder.
This despite the fact that four local men were arrested in the immediate aftermath of the late-night attack.
Police also claim to have taken statements from more than 100 witnesses. Many of these witnesses were fellow foreign language students and have since returned home.
However, when asked whether this case would end up as another high profile unsolved murder in 1066 Country, DCI Bowles responded sternly.
He said: "I am determined to get to the truth of what happened that night. The truth does not come about overnight and in a complex case such as this you do not get results instantly - you get them through hard painstaking work.
"A major investigation takes time. You have to bring together a range of aspect to make sure we have the best possible evidence to present to the Crown Prosecution Service.
"The investigation is making significant progress and we have taken statements from more than 100 witnesses both at the scene and elsewhere.
"We have a significant amount of CCTV material and there are officers currently examining that material. We expect it will be of significant interest in a subsequent trial."
DCI Bowles then revealed that any witness who had since left the country could be flown back for a subsequent trial or any identification parade.
He also said he was prepared to go against police good practice and continue to renew the police bail the four suspects had been released on.
He vowed: "We will do everything in our power to find the killer and I have every confidence that will be the case."
The police remain in regular contact with Mohammed's family in Qatar and three of the 30 strong police team have been assigned to the relatives to keep them informed of how the investigation is proceeding.
There was also a private meeting earlier this week between DCI Bowles and leaders of the local muslim community at which reassurances were given that the hunt for Mohammed's killers is progressing.
DCI Bowles said: "We are taking this matter very seriously and it is of the highest priority to Sussex police that we find those responsible for Mohammed's death."
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Weather for Hastings
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Light sleet showers
Temperature: 0 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Light sleet showers
Temperature: -0 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North west
