A Black 19-year-old had recently received a royal pardon for having consenual sex with a then 17-year-old last year. Just three months later, the unthinkable happened to him in a tragic new development.
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Marcus Fakana, who at the time was 18 years old, had been sentenced to spend one year in a maximum-security prison in Dubai after a “holiday romance blossomed” in August 2024 with a fellow teenager. According to reports, the girl was staying at the same Dubai hotel as he and his parents. The girl’s mother saw messages and pictures between the two and allegedly notified authorities once her daughter returned home to the U.K. So, authorities found Fakana at a hotel, The Independent reported, and arrested him.
In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), if an adult has a sexual relationship with a person under the age of 18, they can be prosecuted for having a sexual relationship with a child. The UAE’s Federal Law No. 3 of 2016 defines a child as every human being under the age of 18. Also, unlike the U.S. and other Western countries, there is no “age of consent” because, traditionally, any sexual activity outside of a legal marriage is considered illegal there anyway.
He was released from prison after a royal pardon from Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in July.
But three months later, his story took a fatal turn.
Early Friday (Oct. 3), Fakana was a passenger in a vehicle that crashed in north London. He was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, the BBC reported, and later died. He was 19. Fakana was released on July 3 and died October 3— three months to the day.
His lawyer, Radha Stirling, recalled how Fakana had “spent the majority of this year in a Dubai prison which no doubt caused him long lasting mental anguish.” He added, per the outlet, “It’s sad that of all of 2025, he was only free for the three months.”
The Metropolitan Police says they were trying to stop a “vehicle of interest,” and after a short pursuit, they lost sight of the car. Not long after, they discovered the fleeing car had crashed into another car. Fakana was inside.
A 19-year-old named Marwaan Mohamed Huseen, of Argyle Road, Tottenham, has been charged for his alleged involvement with the fatal crash. He’s been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, driving without insurance, driving without a licence and failing to stop.
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