POLICE have confirmed that the biggest ‘evidential gap’ in the six-year-old murder of a 16-year-old boy in Oxford is information from eyewitnesses.

Superintendent Andy Howard, the investigating officer into the death of Harun Jama, said it is ‘simply not right’ that the case has not been resolved and hopes that witnesses may change their minds about providing more information.

The murder happened at around 7.45pm on January 3, 2018, on the towpath close to the blue and white footbridge.

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Harun was stabbed to death after an  ‘attack’ broke out near the black and white bridge adjacent to Dale Close.

Oxford Mail: Superintendent Andy Howard in Friars Walk six years after the murderSuperintendent Andy Howard in Friars Walk six years after the murder (Image: NQ)

The teenager was taken to hospital but had suffered serious injuries and died later that evening.

Despite a number of arrests, nobody has been prosecuted for the murder.

Speaking at the scene of the murder on Thursday morning (January 4), Superintendent Howard said he was confident that out of everyone interviewed by police so far, there are people with more information.

“We know from the investigation that at the time when Harun was killed there were a number of people in the vicinity,” he said.

Oxford Mail: Flowers left at the scene on January 4, 2024Flowers left at the scene on January 4, 2024 (Image: NQ)

“It started at the black and white bridge and travelled down to the towpath, which is now under construction.

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“We are confident we have spoken to a large number of people who were present but the appeal is to urge people who have not yet been identified to come forward.

"We would appeal to speak to them about what they saw and heard.

“I remain very confident that out of the people we have spoken to, there are people within that group who know more about what happened than what they have said.

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“I understand people may not want to impart information.

"They may have difficult circumstances, a lot of people were part of the homelessness community, but we hope after six years that loyalties and allegiances change and people's personal circumstances change.”

He added that it was ‘simply not right’ that no prosecution had yet taken place.

“Harun was 16 years old,” he said. “He was a child and we have the unsolved murder of a 16-year-old boy and that is simply not right.

Oxford Mail: The towpath where the murder took place nearThe towpath where the murder took place near (Image: NQ)

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“I’m very, very confident that people we have spoken to know what happened.

"I ask them to look at their consciousness and think about his family who, six years on, still have no action taken against who is responsible.

“The big evidential gap we have is eyewitnesses. There was not CCTV here, well not six years ago.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact police, quoting the reference number 43180002807.