Richard Okorogheye: New confirmed sighting of lacking London scholar as police search forest in Essex

Police investigating the disappearance of scholar Richard Okorogheye have been finishing up searches in Epping Forest, Essex, after a brand new confirmed sighting of him close by.

Newest enquires have established he took a taxi journey from the W2 space of London to a residential avenue in Loughton.

And officers have now begun combing the forest in addition to finishing up door-to-door enquiries within the space.

Mr Okorogheye, a scholar at Oxford Brookes College, left his household residence within the Ladbroke Grove space of west London on the night of Monday 22 March, and was reported lacking two days later.

He was noticed on CCTV strolling alone on Smarts Lane, Loughton, in the direction of Epping Forest at 12.39am on Tuesday 23 March.

And the Metropolitan Police have now launched these CCTV pictures of the 19-year-old in Loughton.

Preliminary enquiries recognized him leaving his residence deal with and heading within the course of Ladbroke Grove at round 8.30pm on Monday 22 March.

In a beforehand confirmed sighting, Mr Okorogheye was seen boarding the quantity 23 bus southbound in Ladbroke Grove at 8.44pm.

CCTV footage exhibits he was carrying all black and had a black satchel bag with a white Adidas emblem, worn throughout his decrease again.

The Met stated detectives had been working around-the-clock to hint his subsequent steps after the Loughton sighting and had begun searches in and across the forest.

They had been additionally working alongside specialist search groups and colleagues from Essex Police.

Detective Chief Inspector Nicki Beecher, from the Met’s Space West Public Safety Unit, stated: “It has now been 9 days since Richard was final seen in particular person and we stay as dedicated as ever to finding him and bringing him residence to his household.

“Our officers are working extraordinarily arduous to piece collectively the details to be able to construct an image of Richard’s actions on the night of Monday 22 March.

“Newest info suggests he was final seen in Loughton in Essex and we at the moment are focusing our consideration right here.”

Mr Okorogheye’s mom Proof Joel beforehand stated her son had spoken of “struggling to manage” with college pressures and had been shielding throughout the COVID-19 lockdown.

As somebody with sickle cell illness, Mr Okorogheye would solely depart the home to go to hospital for normal blood transfusions for his situation.

Ms Joel instructed Sky Information he had left with out his remedy, a jacket or any cash and his disappearance was extremely out of character.

Individuals with any info are requested to name police on 101 quoting 21MIS008134