Sami Sidhom was just 18-years-old
A Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) law and history student has become the capital’s latest teenage murder victim after he was reportedly ambushed and stabbed on Monday evening.
Sami Sidhom, 18, was attacked in Forest Gate, East London, just before 11pm by multiple men who then fled the scene by car, according to media reports. Sidhom, who was in his first year of his undergraduate degree, is understood to have died at the scene around 30 minutes later. He is the 12th teenager to be murdered in London this year.
One friend, who didn’t wish to be named, revealed how Sidhom harboured ambitions of becoming a lawyer. He told The Telegraph:
“He was very bright. One of the things he wanted to be was a lawyer. He was the kind of friend who would always help you, he was always very supportive.”
Prior to his legal studies, Sidhom attended East Ham’s Newham Collegiate Sixth Form where he achieved high grades in his A-levels. The college hit Legal Cheek headlines last year after its ex-City solicitor headmaster, Mouhssin Ismail, succeeded in sending 95% of his pupils to Russell Group unis.
Ismail reflected on Sidhom’s life: “Sami was a gentle, kind and considerate young man who had a very bright future ahead of him. He was intelligent, dedicated to his studies and a role model in every sense of the word.” The former Norton Rose Fulbright lawyer continued:
“He worked very hard and took full advantage of all the opportunities we offer. He’s been deprived of a life which would have been filled with great success and happiness. Our thoughts and prayers are with his immediate family and close friends who must be devastated by their loss.”
Detective Inspector John Marriott, who is leading the investigation, commented: “We are at the early stages of the investigation and my team retain an open mind as to the motive for Sami’s murder. We are keen to hear from anyone who may have been in the area last night and may have seen or heard anything.”
