Sister of Yousef Makki says her late brother’s character was ‘pulled apart’ at 2019 trial that cleared his friend Joshua Molnar of stabbing him to death – because he was ‘a working-class, mixed-race boy from a council estate’

• Read more:  Police will ‘carefully review’ Yousef Makki inquest ruling after coroner found he was unlawfully killed when he was stabbed to death by a friend – as schoolboy’s family say they have finally got ‘justice’

The sister of a grammar school pupil who was stabbed to death by his teenage friend has revealed her battle for justice was funded by cake sales and local fundraisers.

Jade Akoum has campaigned tirelessly since her younger brother, Yousef Makki, was stabbed to death with a flick knife in the upmarket village of Hale Barns, Cheshire, on March 2nd 2019.

Last week a second inquest at Stockport Coroner’s Court ruled Yousef was unlawfully killed, bringing his family the justice they had been praying for.

At a trial in June 2019, his friend Joshua Molnar, then 17, was controversially cleared of murder and manslaughter after a jury accepted the incident was self-defence.

He admitted lying to the police and carrying a knife and was handed a 16-month detention and training sentence.

Following the verdict of the latest inquest, Akoum says her late brother’s character is ‘restored’ and that the previous trial ‘only highlighted the gap between those with money and those without.’

Yousef Makki, 17, was stabbed to death in the village of Hale Barns, Cheshire, in March 2019. His sister, Jade Akoum, 32, from Manchester, has fought for justice since his friend Josh Molnar was cleared of murder and manslaughter in 2019 – saying ‘Yousef was a working-class boy, of mixed-race, from a council estate, and the trial only highlighted the gap between those with money and those without.’

A second teenager, Adam Chowdhary, then 17, and one of Yousef’s closest friends, faced charges of perverting the course of justice, conspiracy to rob and possession of a knife and was cleared of all charges except possession of a knife, for which he was sentenced to four months. Both he and Molnar were acquitted of conspiracy to commit robbery in the lead-up to Yousef’s death.

Now Yousef’s sister, Jade Akoum, 32, says her family has justice at last, after a second inquest overturned the first narrative verdict. 

The case will now be re-examined by Greater Manchester Police and CPS.

Mum of four, Jade, from Manchester, says: ‘Our campaign was as much about clearing Yousef’s name as exposing the lies of his so-called friend.

‘During the trial, we had to listen to Yousef being criticised, and his character pulled apart. 

‘Yousef was a working-class boy, of mixed-race, from a council estate, and the trial only highlighted the gap between those with money and those without.

‘It made no sense that Yousef was stabbed to death and yet nobody was responsible.

Jade has campaigned tirelessly to clear her brother’s name – raising money via cake sales and fundraisers – and says the latest court ruling means her late brother can now ‘rest in peace’

Joshua Molnar arriving at Manchester Crown Court in 2019. The teenager was acquitted of murdering the Manchester Grammar School pupil

‘It’s been a long, hard fight, funded by goodwill and donations, we’ve had cake sales and fundraisers and local businesses have rallied round. 

‘Never at any point did I feel like giving up. I made my mum a promise as she died that I would get justice – and we have that now.

‘I felt her with me every day of the inquest, and I felt Yousef with me too.

‘The verdict will never bring him back. But he can now rest in peace, with his good name and his good character restored.

‘Straight after the verdict, we went to visit Mum and Yousef, and we went to the spot where Yousef was stabbed. I hope they’re looking down and they are proud of us.’

Adam Chowdhary, left, faced charges of perverting the course of justice, conspiracy to rob and possession of a knife and was cleared of all charges except possession of a knife, for which he was sentenced to four months at the trial in 2019. Pictured with Yousef Makki at their prom night in June 2018

Jade says she continued to fight for the case to be re-examined for both her brother and her late mother, Debbie, who campaigned for justice for her son until her death from sepsis in May 2020, aged 55. Jade believes she died from a broken heart

Siblings: Jade and Yousef in childhood; she says that she felt the presence of both her brother and her mother with her ‘every day’ of the inquest

Since Yousef’s death Jade and her family have organised protests in his memory and continuously campaigned to have his case looked at again via their campaign group Justice For Yousef Makki. The family called him ‘Yo-Yo’ because he was ‘always busy’

Jade admits she and her husband Mazen did not dare to hope for justice, despite the coroner slamming Molnar as he gave evidence last week at the second inquest.

Jade says: ‘The inquest was nerve-racking. The worst part was coming face to face with Molnar and Chowdhary. At the court case, we were kept upstairs, behind a glass screen, we couldn’t even see what was going on.

‘This was the first time I’d been up close to them; the inquest room was much smaller than a court room, and it was very stressful. But I also felt I had to be there, for Yousef and for Mum.’

Yousef’s mother, Debbie, campaigned for justice for her son until her death from sepsis in May 2020, aged 55. Her family believe she died from a broken heart.

Jade says: ‘Chowdhary expressed remorse after giving evidence, but Molnar did not. Molnar became very emotional and upset but I think his tears were all for himself. He and his family have tried to thwart all our efforts at justice.’

Jade, pictured with her family members and her husband Mazen, says coming face to face with Josh Molnar and Adam Chowdhary at the inquest was difficult

Pride: She says she hopes her mother and brother are proud of her fight to clear Yousef’s name and says she and husband Mazen visited their graves after the new verdict

Jade and her family campaigned for a judicial review and a second inquest, relying on donations and the goodwill of local businesses.

She says: ‘We didn’t raise enough to cover all our legal expenses but the team very generously accepted lower fees. We’ve been blown away by people’s generosity. We raised over 60k. 

‘Local businesses donated profits from donut days and cake sales, there were so many fundraising events, and it is testament to Yousef’s character, and how much people loved him.’

Yousef, whose nickname was ‘Yo-Yo,’ because he was always busy, was the third of four children and showed academic promise from a very early age.

Jade says: ‘Even at nursery, Yousef was reading books and broadsheet newspapers. He knew all the parts of the brain and dreamed of becoming a surgeon.

‘He would carry a little book around with him and would make notes of things he didn’t understand.’

Jade has written her story in a book, The Boy with a Pound in his Pocket

His teachers urged him to apply for a place at the prestigious Manchester Grammar School.

Jade says: ‘We really didn’t think that someone like Yousef would ever get into Manchester Grammar. 

He was from a single parent family, on a council estate, and Mum struggled financially.’

But Yousef passed his entrance exams with flying colours and was awarded a place on a scholarship. He settled in well and excelled academically. 

He went on to study A levels and was being prepared for Oxbridge exams at the time of his death. He was very sporty and enjoyed athletics and boxing.

Jade says: ‘Yousef loved school.

‘He would tell me: ‘I’m going to be the top surgeon in the UK. I am going to do big things. My name will be all in the newspapers.

‘And of course it was, tragically. Little did we know what lay ahead.

‘He was peaceful and gentle; a beautiful boy, inside and out. The inquest verdict is as much about clearing his name, as it is about exposing the liars. Yousef can now rest in peace.’

A book about Jade’s fight for justice, The Boy with a Pound in his Pocket, is available on Amazon   

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