Just three months after finally tasting freedom, Marcus Fakana, a 19-year-old from Tottenham, north London, tragically lost his life in a car crash. His release from a Dubai prison had been a hard-won victory, a moment of hope abruptly extinguished.
The driver, 20-year-old Marwaan Mohamed Huseen, admitted causing Mr. Fakana’s death by dangerous driving. Huseen was attempting to evade Metropolitan Police officers when his BMW collided with a lorry in the early hours of October 3rd. The impact proved fatal for Fakana, a passenger in the vehicle.
A second passenger sustained serious injuries in the crash, which unfolded on Pretoria Road in Tottenham. Huseen, appearing via videolink from HMP Pentonville, also pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving to that individual.
Huseen confessed to driving without a valid license or insurance at the time of the incident. He remains in custody, awaiting sentencing after a hearing scheduled for February 27th, where he will present the details surrounding his guilty pleas.
Marcus Fakana’s ordeal began during a family holiday to the United Arab Emirates in the summer of 2024. An 18-year-old at the time, he became involved in a relationship with a 17-year-old girl from London. This connection would lead to devastating consequences.
After the girl’s mother discovered messages and photos on her phone, authorities in Dubai intervened. Consensual sexual relations with a minor are a serious offense in the UAE, and Fakana was subsequently arrested and imprisoned.
He spent approximately a year incarcerated before a royal pardon from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, secured his release. The pardon offered a glimmer of hope, a chance to rebuild his life.
On the night of the crash, police were attempting to stop a “vehicle of interest” when a short pursuit ensued. Officers briefly lost sight of the BMW, only to discover it had been involved in a collision upon entering The Roundway.
Radha Sterling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, a group that campaigned tirelessly for Fakana’s release, expressed profound sorrow at the news of his death. She highlighted the immense mental anguish he likely endured during his time in the Dubai prison.
“Marcus spent the majority of this year in a Dubai prison which no doubt caused him long-lasting mental anguish,” Sterling stated. “It’s sad that of all of 2025, he was only free for the three months from July 3 until October 3.” His newfound freedom had been cruelly short-lived.
