Justice System Failed: Plea for Overhaul

The sister of Yousef Makki, a 17-year-old who was fatally stabbed, is demanding a fundamental overhaul of the UK's criminal justice system. Jade Akoum powerfully articulated how her brother's background from a Manchester council estate and his positive attributes were "weaponized" during his killer's trial, leading to a wrongful portrayal. She shared her family's profound disappointment and sense of betrayal by a system that failed to deliver truth or dignity.

Akoum highlighted systemic inequalities, questioning why victims from certain backgrounds face suspicion and bias. She recounted the "character assassination" of her high-achieving brother, noting that requests for positive evidence, like a statement from his headteacher, were ignored. The family endured humiliation and exhaustion, even having to crowdfund for representation at an inquest due to lack of legal aid.

While a second inquest in November 2023 finally ruled that Yousef was unlawfully killed by Joshua Molnar, Akoum asserts that true justice, involving accountability, remains absent as Molnar could not be retried. She hopes for changes in how cases are handled and families are treated, emphasizing that Yousef's story reflects broader failures when accountability falters.