Omar Benguit: New evidence claims man was framed for murder of foreign student
A man who was jailed for 23 years for murder may have been wrongfully convicted following allegations police pressured witnesses to lie, new evidence claims.
Allegations that witnesses, including drug addicts, were forced to give false statements. BBC Panorama Investigation into the Omar Benguit case
Benguit was convicted in January 2005 of murdering South Korean language student Jong-Ok Shin, known as Oki, in Bournemouth three years earlier.
The broadcaster claims 13 prosecution witnesses said they were forced to embellish their statements or lie in court and that there was CCTV evidence that could cast doubt on the evidence of a key witness.
According to the BBC, a woman known as ‘BB’ said she picked up Benguit and two other men on the night of the murder and went to a garage before heading to a drug den, but police could not find CCTV footage to support the claims.
The broadcaster said there was further CCTV footage showing an unidentified man, who may be Benguit, using a phone booth at a different location, suggesting he did not go to the drug room.
Dorset Police said the investigation was “extensive, detailed and very complex” and Benguit had already had two appeals against his conviction rejected.
Benguit was convicted at his third trial in January 2005. He appealed his conviction in July of the same year, but this appeal was rejected by the appeal judges.
His lawyers then appealed to the legal review body, the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), in May 2010, after which his case was referred back to the Court of Appeal.
The court upheld his conviction in 2014.
A second application has since been made to the CCRC, which reviews potential miscarriages of justice, and is currently being considered.
A CCRC spokesman said: “Mr Benguit first approached the CCRC in May 2010. Following review, the CCRC returned the conviction in December 2012.
“In 2014, the conviction was approved by the Supreme Court.
“A second application has been received and review of this application is ongoing.
“It would be inappropriate for us to discuss the case or make any other comment while the application is being reviewed.”
Dorset Police said concerns about Benguit’s conviction were a matter for the CCRC and the Court of Appeal.
A spokesman said: “Our investigation into Oki’s murder was extensive, detailed and very complex.
“We presented our evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service, who considered it sufficient evidence to charge Omar Benguit with Oki’s murder and opened the investigation.
“Omar Benguit was unanimously convicted of the murder of Jong-Ok Shin by a jury at Winchester Crown Court in January 2005 and sentenced to life imprisonment.
“Benguit appealed his conviction but this appeal was rejected by judges at the Court of Appeal in July 2005.
“The case was reviewed by the Criminal Case Review Commission (CCRC) and referred a second time to the Court of Appeal on the credibility of the prosecution witness and the suggestion of a possible alternative suspect.
“The appeal was rejected in April 2014.
“This case has gone through a number of reviews and any issues surrounding concerns about this conviction are ultimately a matter for the CCRC and the Court of Appeal.
“Dorset Police will follow instructions and initiate investigations if instructed by the courts and responsible authorities.
“As always, our thoughts are with Oki’s family and friends who are devastated by his loss.”
