Missing Student Richard Okorogheye Confirmed Sighted In New CCTV Image
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Police are searching Epping Forest after new CCTV footage shows Richard Okorogheye, the 19-year-old missing student from London, walking towards the woodland.
The latest footage shows him walking through Loughton, Essex at 12.39am on March 23. Police said detectives are now working around the clock to retrace his steps.
Police are currently searching around and inside the forest, as well as carrying out door-to-door enquiries.
Okorogheye has not been seen for nine days since he left his home in West London on the evening of March 22. He was reported missing two days later.
Metropolitan Police detective chief inspector Nicki Beecher has issued an urgent appeal for information. Okorogheye suffers from sickle cell disease and does not have any medication with him.
‘It has now been nine days since Richard was last seen in person and we remain as committed as ever to locating him and bringing him home to his family,’ Beecher said.
‘Our officers are working extremely hard to piece together the facts in order to build a picture of Richard’s movements on the evening of Monday, 22 March. Latest information suggests he was last seen in Loughton in Essex and we are now focusing our attention here with specialist search officers from across the Met brought in to assist.
‘I would once again like to renew our appeal to the public for any information which may assist with our enquiries. If you may have seen Richard – particularly in the Loughton area – or have any information at all, please contact police,’ Beecher said.
CCTV footage from the night of his disappearance shows Okorogheye boarding a southbound Number 23 bus in Ladbroke Grove at 8.44pm, shortly after leaving is home at around 8.30pm on March 22. He was dressed in all black and carried a black satchel with a white Adidas logo.
Beecher said: ‘Our enquiries also continue in the Ladbroke Grove, W10 area where local officers have been carrying out search patrols and also community patrols to gather information from local residents.’
Speaking to Sky News earlier this week, Okorogheye’s mother, Evidence Joel, said his disappearance is highly out of character. Due to his condition, he has been shielding during the pandemic and only leaves the house for blood transfusions.
‘All he said to me was ‘mummy, I’m going to see my friend’. I trusted him, I had no doubt or no reason to ask him further questions,’ she said.
Anyone with any information should call the police on 101 quoting 21MIS008134. Information can also be given via the charity Missing People.
