Tuesday, June 05, 2018

Appeal by Mayor of Newham to find boy's killers



A really heartfelt plea by the Mayor for help in finding the murderers and reassurance that everything possible will be done to protect our young people in Newham.

"Mayor of Newham Rokhsana Fiaz has appealed for residents to come forward with any information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the killer or killers of a 14-year-old boy.​

Today (Monday 4 June) is nine months to the day that Corey Junior Davis, known as CJ, died as a result of a shooting incident in Forest Gate. The Mayor’s appeal on the council’s website comes ahead of a reconstruction of his death set for BBC1’s Crimewatch Roadshow programme on Tuesday (5 June) at 11am. 

Said Mayor Fiaz: “Corey’s death horrified us all. He and others like 18-year-old student Sami Sidhom whose moving and touching funeral service I attended on Friday, were part of Newham’s bright future until they were brutally attacked and taken from us. In the case of Sami this was a result of a knife attack back in April and also in Forest Gate.

“This borough is a poorer place for the loss of both of them and the other young people who have fallen victim to senseless attacks that have occurred in our borough over the past year. I can’t begin to imagine the pain that their respective families, friends, and others who knew them, are feeling. But I can understand that these incidents are making our young people feel frightened and our communities anxious about how we can keep them safe.”

The Mayor has put tackling violence and making young people feel safe at the very heart of her plans. She said: “There have been too many young victims in Newham this past year and this has to be stopped. Too many young people have been killed or injured, and too many are scared. We will not allow it to continue. We all have a responsibility to protect our young people and keep them healthy and well.

“My decision to emphasise the importance of youth safety as part of my mayoralty isn’t a consequence of recent events. For so many of our young people, feeling unsafe has been a feature in their lives for far too long.”

In meetings Mayor Fiaz has had with young people so far, they have told her they want to be safe. They say youth services and youth clubs are important places of safety, but they fear being in streets and in parks.

Added the Mayor: “But despite everything, they say they love this borough. They embrace its diversity, its vibrancy, and its dynamism, but what they want is to be listened to. They want us as adults, be it parents, teachers, carers, neighbours, police officers, council services or community organisations, to step up and make them feel safe. That’s why I’ve pledged to involve them in making the decisions to create a safer and more engaging environment for young people to grow up in.

“In the meantime I encourage anyone who may know something about Corey’s tragic death to speak up. His killers are still out there. Contact the dedicated incident room number of 020 8345 3775 or to give information anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Let’s break down the wall of silence. We owe it to Corey and his mother who we need to help.”

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