'Our kids can't bear to go in their dead brother's room - we need to move'

25 November 2023 , 12:07

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Mustafa Ahmed, eight, with his older brother Ahmed

A family are desperate to move out of their council property as it holds too many memories of their dead eight-year-old child.

Mohamed Mao, 49, and Heyfa Akubar, 43, lost their youngest son Mustafa Ahmed in a horror motorbike crash on Sunday, February 19. He was crossing the road outside Greenwich Islamic Centre, southeast London, with his dad and brother Ahmed Ahmed, 11, when they were all struck by the vehicle.

The little boy was thrown several yards into the road and died at the scene. As reported by the Mirror previously, Mohamed suffered head injuries and a shattered hip, and was left in a coma for weeks - not even remembering who Mustafa was when he initially woke up. Ahmed suffered a punctured liver and neck lacerations.

Ahmed and Mustafa were very close

Mustafa was killed as he crossed the road

It comes as unlicensed and uninsured Nicholas Hopkins, 20, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at Inner London Crown Court last week. Police have since released his mugshot in which he is grinning broadly.

Ahmed and Mustafa shared a bedroom at the family home in Woolwich Dockyard - but now he won't sleep in the room at all. The family have been on the council's waiting list since soon after the accident. Mohamed said: “The children and my wife don’t want to stay in the house. There are too many memories.” Ahmed now sleeps with one of his sisters. “He won’t go in his old room, none of the children will," said Mohamed. "Only me and my wife go in there sometimes but it’s not easy, there’s so much memory in there.”

London flat for rent for £1,400 a month with bed tucked away in kitchen cupboard

Asked how Ahmed’s recovery has gone, he said: “He’s recovered but not perfectly. He likes to be alone, he’s quiet all the time. He wants to be sitting alone and keep quiet. Before he was more open. He was very outgoing; now he’s withdrawn, even at school.”

Mohamed Mao suffered a shattered hip and severe head injury (The Daily Mirror)

Mohamed, 49, did not remember he even had a son following the tragedy (The Daily Mirror)

Mohamed said he and Heyfa will sometimes ask Ahmed about his brother and what happened, but he refuses to answer. “They were very close, the only boys in the house," he explained. "He doesn’t want to talk about it. We even try to talk to him, me and his mum, we ask him things or talk about his brother but he won’t.”

Mohamed continues to use the same Islamic centre but now has to be taken by car. However, Heyfa prays at a different mosque. Mohamed, Ahmed and Mustafa had walked from home and were about to attend an evening prayer session when the crash occurred at around 7.30pm.

Mohamed agreed to return to the spot where his son was killed (The Daily Mirror)

“I can’t remember anything, I don’t know what happened that night,” bus driver Mohamed explained. He understands from witness accounts the lights were on red as they crossed. The junction has been an issue raised to the council before, with locals complaining that motorists drive too fast and approach the lights almost blindly. They also say the lights don’t stay red long enough, with multiple other accidents occurring.

Mohamed's last memory of Mustafa was a few days before. “I went for a walk, just me and him, along the River Thames near our house,” he said, smiling. “We used to go along there a lot. That’s all I can remember.”

The family were crossing the road to attend a prayer session at Greenwich Islamic Centre (Google Maps)

A Greenwich Council spokesperson said: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Mustafa Ahmed and by the serious injuries caused to his other family members. Immediately after the incident we met with representatives of the Greenwich Islamic Centre, and we have continued to do so. We have been working with the Met Police as part of its investigation to help secure a conviction. An individual has been charged with several offences including causing death by dangerous driving.

The scene on the evening of the crash in February (Jamie Lashmar / Story Picture Agency)

"The Police have not suggested that there were any issues with the highway that could have prevented this tragic loss of life. While there are no measures that will ever fully protect the public from anyone who chooses to drive recklessly and illegally as a borough, we are committed to Vision Zero: for all deaths and serious injuries from road collisions to be eliminated from our streets. Alongside Transport for London (TfL) we have identified steps we could take to make the road safer - such as refreshing road markings and as part of our upcoming review alongside all other roads in the borough, will consider introducing a 20 mile per hour speed limit.

"Local groups have suggested other measures that could potentially improve road safety too, which we have shared with the Police and TfL for consideration as part of the investigation."

On November 17, Hopkins, of Burrage Grove, Plumstead admitted causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by driving unlicensed, causing death whilst uninsured, two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and possession of Class B drugs. Hopkins was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing at the same court on January 26 2024.

Ryan Merrifield