Uyi Aimiyekagbon, the elder brother, would grasp his sibling’s hand while they headed to school. He guided his brother Harry towards the correct road from an early age, exemplifying appropriate behaviour.
Years later, when the brothers—two of five siblings—relocated from their native Nigeria to the UK, their living situation in Manchester remained unchanged. They supported one another, as brothers always do.
“I was raised alongside Harry,” Uyi, now 49, stated. “He was my closest companion, my sole sibling, my confidant.” We engaged in all activities collectively.
Harry was an exceptionally amiable individual. He was an exceptional chef. He cared for me. He understood how to care for individuals.
Harry, whose complete name was Osagie Harrison Aimiyekagbon, served as a security officer, deployed to assignments at hospitals and train stations. He was recognised for his ability to alleviate difficult circumstances, and via his employment in bars in Stockport, together with his compassionate and amiable demeanour, he acquired the endearing moniker ‘the dancing doorman.’
However, that fraternal tie was obliterated under the most atrocious circumstances. Harry’s demise has rendered his family bereft. This has prompted the family to scrutinise the conduct of the police, who had been informed multiple times of threats made by Harry’s assailant against him and his small son.
However, an inquiry conducted by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has exonerated all officers implicated of any wrongdoing.
A GMP representative stated: “We acknowledge the family’s profound suffering following Osagie’s death and recognise the significance of attending to their concerns.” In this instance, we apprehended Samuel Opokiti and held him accountable for the deadly stabbing of Osagie, but he finally received a hospital order.
“We acknowledge that although it may provide closure to the ordeal, it does not return Osagie to his loved ones.” Our condolences are with the family.
“The individual who murdered Harry also took my life,” Uyi informed the Manchester Evening News on the day the perpetrator of his brother’s death was brought to justice. He exterminated the entire family.
“We are merely existing and anticipating the day we will encounter Harry.” This is a very challenging circumstance for everyone involved.
Harry was repeatedly assaulted with a knife in his residence by Samuel Opokiti. The couple resided in communal housing together. Opokiti was afflicted with schizophrenia and believed he was being ‘manipulated by demons’ who commanded him to murder Harry.
Harry, who was 36 when he died, had repeatedly complained about Opokiti to the police. Opokiti had threatened to kill Harry and his son.
Harry had made calls to police, but his family claim little appeared to have been done. Such was his concern, he told his partner his young son should not come and visit him at his home.
He first complained to the police about Opokiti 11 months before his death. Back in August 2022, Harry told police that Opokiti had threatened to kill him and his son.
In a second call that month, he reported that Opokiti had pulled a knife from a kitchen drawer and told him ‘do you want it?’ Officers attended the property on Rushmere Avenue in Levenshulme on both occasions.
Harry told officers wanted Opokiti to be ‘warned’ about his behaviour. His family say this was in keeping with his kind nature and that he wanted Opokiti to be helped rather than punished. In December that year, he told police that Opokiti had ‘hit’ him, and said he had been in possession of a knife.
The following month, he again told police he had seen Opokiti with a knife. He had also told officers that he believed his housemate was suffering from mental health issues.
Even on the day of his death, Harry had called the police to report Opokiti. He said that Opokiti had threatened to kill his son, and repeated concerns about his mental health.
Police called Harry back later that day, but within hours he would be dead. The next time they attended the property, Harry lay dying on the kitchen floor, having been subjected to a completely unprovoked, horrific knife attack.
Opokiti had suddenly begun stabbing him. By the time officers arrived, Opokiti answered the door covered in blood, ‘incoherent and unresponsive’.
It was too late for Harry, who could not be saved. “They never brought him for questioning or nothing,” Uyi says of Opokiti.
Uyi believes his brother was failed by the police. He said: “For crying out loud, he has been paying his taxes, he has been working, he has been doing his best for the community, he just needed protection.
“He did his best to stay out of trouble, but trouble came to him and he was not protected.”
It emerged during Opokiti’s sentencing hearing that an enquiry into the police’s handling of Harry’s complaints was ongoing. Judge John Potter said: “It is not the role of this court to determine the appropriateness of the actions of the police, or anyone else in responding to these earlier complaints by the deceased.
“I make it clear that I express no view about this at all, save to say that in circumstances such as this, I expect an appropriate enquiry to be undertaken by others to establish whether or not the dreadful events of the evening of July 9, 2023 could have been avoided by earlier or more effective intervention by the authorities, following complaint having been made on each occasion. Those enquiries must be allowed to take their course.”
The M.E.N. understands Greater Manchester Police referred themselves to the IOPC in relation to the incident. Following the hearing, the IOPC told the M.E.N. that a report into the investigation is being finalised, but said that no findings of misconduct or gross misconduct had been made against police officers or staff involved.
It is a tragedy which has left a young boy without a father, and a devastated family seeking answers.
On Tuesday, Samuel Opokiti, 30, was sentenced after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. He was sentenced to a hospital order under section 37 of the Mental Health Act, with a section 41 restriction order also being imposed. It means that Opokiti can only be discharged from Ashworth high secure hospital with the agreement of the Secretary of State.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.