The daughter of a restaurant owner knifed to death on the doorstep of his London home 20 years ago today said: “We will not rest until we find his killers.”
Scotland Yard today launched a renewed appeal for witnesses to the murder of father-of-three Atek Hussain, 32, who was stabbed in the heart on September 18, 1994, after returning home to East Ham from his family restaurant in Warlingham.
He staggered to his front door and rang the bell. His wife and daughter, who was just ten at the time, pulled him inside.
Yasmin Hussain, now 30, said: “Dad was soaked in blood. We somehow managed to bring him in. His voice began to fade.
“I put my dad’s head in my lap. He was so breathless, he kept on saying ‘let me go to sleep’. He was struggling with me as I told him he needed to stay awake, I couldn’t let him sleep.”
Mr Hussain managed to say that his attackers were Asian before losing consciousness. A witness recalled seeing at least two Asian men fleeing the scene.
Miss Hussain said she remembered her father as a friendly kind-hearted mam, who was devoted to his family and always there for people in need.
She said: “We are sure someone must know something and have a very deep secret they are repenting.
“Why would anyone want to kill a loving person? Why would anyone want to make our mum a widow at 29? And take the shelter of our father from us and take our rock from us? Every day we live we will not rest until we find out dad’s killers.”
Police said the motive for the murder remains unclear. Mr Hussain had almost £1,000 on him which was not stolen.
Acting Detective Inspector Chris Pattrick, from the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: “Twenty years is a long time and things change. Perhaps you, or someone you know, were on the periphery of what happened that night.
“Was the motive to steal cash but did things get out of hand? Have you heard anything about this incident over the years? Allegiances change and it may be that someone who didn’t feel they could come forward at the time is now prepared to do so.”
Contact the incident room on 020 8345 3775 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
