TV & Film
Viewers ‘absolutely horrified’ by documentary about the killing of Yousef Makki
The documentary features ‘chilling’ police body cam footage from the night of the murder
A Channel 4 documentary investigating the killing of schoolboy Yousef Makki has left viewers ‘absolutely horrified’ by what they saw.
Killed By A Rich Kid aired on Channel 4 last night (March 21st), and told the story of seventeen-year-old Yousef Makki who was stabbed in the heart by friend Joshua Molnar following an argument on the evening of March 2nd 2019.
Yousef, a former public school student from a single-parent Anglo-Lebanese family, had met Joshua at Manchester Grammar School, which had had won a bursary to attend.
Joshua, who comes from a wealthy family in Hale, later admitted to stabbing Makki with a knife he had bought online ‘with ease’ during a school break time.
Justice for Yousef Makki / Facebook
However, the teenager claimed self-defence and was cleared by a jury at Manchester Crown Court of murder and manslaughter, with the coroner’s narrative conclusion also ruling out both unlawful killing and accidental death.
He was jailed for sixteen months for the possession of a knife in a public place and for perverting the course of justice by lying to police at the scene.
The ninety-minute documentary detailed Yousef’s murder, the trial and his family’s search for answers and justice in the aftermath.
It also featured never-before-seen 999 calls, CCTV footage and distressing police body cam footage from the night of Yousef’s death.
In the footage, Joshua can be heard tearfully lying to police officers as Yousef lay dying, blaming the incident on a ‘group of Black guys’.
Following the airing of the documentary, people have been taking to social media to share their thoughts, with many brandishing it as ‘distressing’ and a clear example of racial and wealth inequality in the justice system.
Broadcaster India Willoughby wrote: “One of the saddest and most frustrating documentaries I’ve seen in a long time. Poor Yousef and his family. Always the innocent who suffer the most.”
Another social media user commented: “Absolutely devastating poor poor mother and whole family and I have such admiration for Yousefs 2 real friends that gave evidence and are helping his family such strong young men… What a case this awful.”
Killed By A Rich Kid is available to watch now on All 4.