Met police stops investigating murder of hero who helped convict rape gang to save money - as family hit out at force's 'betrayal'

The Metropolitan Police has paused its investigation into the murder of a man who helped convict a gang of rapists when he was just 14, telling his family that the decision was due to a lack of resources.Abraham Badru, 26, was shot dead outside his home in Hackney, east London, in March 2018.Eight years on, no suspects have been identified and the Met has told his parents that 'no active investigative steps are being undertaken at present'.A senior detective told the family: 'This is primarily due to resourcing pressures. As has been widely reported, officer numbers within the homicide command have been reduced on several occasions over recent years.'The decision has prompted anger from Badru's father, Enitan, who accused the force of abandoning his son's case.He told the Times: 'They called it a legacy case but it has only become a legacy because they didn't solve it.'I could not be more disappointed in the Metropolitan Police. My son sacrificed everything to help them, to do what was right. 'Without him they wouldn't have been able to convict and those monsters would have gone free. They gave my son a bravery award but when he is assassinated outside his home they cannot do anything about it. 'Of course these rapists would have had alibis because they would have known they would be in the frame. To give up like this is such a betrayal.' Sports science graduate Abraham Badru, 26, was gunned down in March 2018 and his killer was never found Ronke Badru, the mother of Abraham Badru, holding a picture of her son and the bravery award that he received in 2009 for helping a rape victimBadru was 14 when he intervened to rescue a girl from an attempted gang rape on a Hackney estate in 2007.He subsequently gave evidence in court against the attackers, helping prosecutors secure nine convictions, including a life sentence for one of those involved.A judge later lifted the anonymity order on seven of the nine attackers, who were all aged between 13-17. The court heard that gang leader O'Neil Denton, nicknamed 'Hitman', along with Weiled Ibrahim, Yusuf Raymond and Jayden Ryan, set upon the victim as she walked home one night.The group began attacking her after she had told Denton's girlfriend that she thought he was 'ugly'.Badru intervened and later gave evidence in court against the attackers, helping prosecutors secure nine convictions.Denton and Ibrahim, both of whom admitted rape, kidnap and false imprisonment, were given indeterminate detention orders for the protection of the public.They were told they would have to serve a minimum of three years and eight months before becoming eligible for parole and would remain on licence for life.Raymond, then 16, pleaded guilty to the same offences and was sentenced to nine years in detention.Ryan, 16, was given eight years, while Alexander Vanderpuije, 15, Jack Bartle, 16, and Cleon Brown, 15, each received six-year sentences.Two other defendants, aged 14 and 16, could not be named because of their ages. They did not physically attack the girl but were found to have helped prevent her escaping and were also given detention orders.For his bravery Badru was even recognised with a police bravery award in 2009.But he spent the rest of his life living in fear of retribution from those he helped to convict, staying indoors, covering his face, and changing his name. His mother, Ronke, later told an inquest that threatening messages began days after the suspects were arrested.One message read: 'You're dead meat.'Another described him as 'a snitch'.Mrs Badru said she had begged police not to make her teenage son testify because she feared for his safety.She said she was warned that she could be charged with perverting the course of justice if she attempted to intervene. Abraham Badru, 26, was shot dead outside his home in Hackney, east London , in March 2018 O'Neil Denton (pictured) was jailed for life for the gang rape in 2007, after Mr Badru testified against the group in court For his A-Levels Badru moved to Bristol but he eventually had to return to London after completing a master's degree and began working as a personal trainer in 2016.Then on the night of March 25, 2018 Badru was on the phone to a woman when he was fatally shot as he unloaded items from the boot of his car, shortly after 11pm.The circumstances of the killing were examined at an inquest four years later.Detective Sergeant Matthew Bennett told the hearing that police had failed to establish a link between the murder and any particular suspect.He said: 'We still haven't, to this day, identified any links to the murder or any motive. We couldn't find anyone who had a particular grudge or vendetta against him. It has just been a wall of silence in relation to the murder investigation.'The former rape suspects were investigated as a potential line of inquiry, but detectives said they all had alibis for the night Badru was killed.Police also offered a £20,000 reward for information about the murder.Despite the reward and a series of investigative inquiries, the killer has never been identified.The family were informed in April this year that the investigation had been paused.In an email a detective explained: 'There is an ongoing need to balance new investigations with older or legacy cases. 'Unfortunately this cannot be managed on a simple chronological basis; instead decisions must be informed by a careful assessment of risk across all investigations. In Abraham's case no suspects have been identified.'The detective said the case would not be permanently closed and would be subject to periodic review.The decision comes as the Met cuts the number of officers and staff working on homicide and major investigations.Freedom of information figures show the number of personnel in the homicide command has fallen from 771 in 2023 to 488, a reduction of 37 per cent.The Met has also reduced the number of major investigation teams from 20 to 16 as part of measures designed to save £4.1 million. Yusuf Raymond, then 16, pleaded guilty to the same offences and was sentenced to nine years in detentionThe total number of detectives, from detective chief superintendent to detective constable, has also fallen from 8,170 to 7,405 over the same period.The cuts are part of a wider effort by the force to reduce spending.Unison has warned that police forces across England and Wales could face a funding shortfall approaching £1 billion by 2027, with some forces leaving posts vacant or cutting staff to reduce costs.Festus Akinbusoye, a friend of the Badru family and a prospective Conservative candidate for London mayor, criticised the Met's decision.He said: 'The Metropolitan Police is cutting the number of officers that are meant to investigate murders in the capital, despite the mayor of London's policing and crime budget being at a record high.'He added: 'We are paying more yet getting less in terms of safety.'The number of people killed in London has nevertheless fallen in recent years.There were 97 homicides recorded in the capital in 2025, down from 109 in 2024 and the lowest annual total in a decade.The Met said its homicide teams continued to investigate murders and review unsolved cases.Deputy Assistant Commissioner Hayley Sewart said: 'The Met's major investigation teams responsible for solving murders and other serious investigations work around the clock to bring offenders to justice. That vital work continues. 'We recognise the profound impact homicide has on families and loved ones. Some cases reach a point where all available lines of enquiry have been explored but that does not mean they are forgotten. 'Detectives continue to review them and will pursue any new evidence, intelligence or forensic opportunities that emerge.'