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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Nicola Slawson

Third man charged with murder of London model Harry Uzoka

Harry Uzoka at a media launch in 2015.
Harry Uzoka at a media launch in 2015. Photograph: David M. Benett/Getty Images for Delfina Delettr

A third man has been charged with the murder of a 25-year-old London model who was fatally stabbed.

Merse Dikanda, 23, of no fixed abode, was to appear at Westminster magistrates court on Saturday accused of killing Harry Uzoka. He is also charged with possession of a bladed or pointed article.

Uzoka, who was signed to Premier Model Management, which helped launch the careers of Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer, was found injured in Shepherd’s Bush at about 4pm on 11 January, the Metropolitan police said.

Scotland Yard has said it believes he was attacked outside Ollgar House, a block of flats in Ollgar Close, before staggering to the nearby street.

Officers and a London air ambulance crew attended the scene but he was pronounced dead shortly after 5pm.

George Koh, 24, and Jonathan Okigbo, 23, both from north London, have already appeared in court charged with his murder. Koh was also charged with possession of an offensive weapon.

Tributes were paid to the model after his death, with the singer, MNEK, tweeting: “SHOCKED. i met him various times and thought he was always so cool. my heart goes out to his family. RIP.”

Uzoka was described by one of the companies he worked for as a “wonderful model but, even more so, a good person and a pleasure to work with”.

The model Jourdan Dunn posted a photo of Uzoka on Twitter with the caption: “Rest in Paradise Young King.”

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