Killed student was 'top of class'

Miss Vik Magnussen moved to London last year to study business

A Norwegian student was found dead in a basement two days after celebrating coming top of her class in end of term exams, her father has said.

Martine Vik Magnussen was last seen leaving Mayfair's exclusive Maddox Club on 14 March. Her body was found in Great Portland Street, central London.

Police are looking for Farouk Abdulhak who studied with Miss Magnussen at Regents Business School, Regents Park.

Tests showed the 23-year-old died as a result of "compression to the neck".

Miss Magnussen's father, Odd Petter Magnussen, said: "The night she died she was celebrating end of term with the best results of her class.

"With her kind and charismatic personality she brought light into the everyday life of so many. It is hard to get to terms with the fact that she was taken away from us - and in this way."

Miss Magnussen's body was discovered partially buried under rubble in the basement of a block of flats.

Mr Abdulhak, a Yemeni national, was seen with Miss Magnussen on the day she went missing and lived in the block of flats where her body was found.

'Final movements'

Officers said Mr Abdulhak, 23, left the country on a flight to Cairo on the afternoon of 14 March and from there travelled to Yemen, but his current whereabouts are unknown.

Miss Magnussen went missing after clubbing in the early hours of the same day.

Initially officers thought Mr Abdulhak left on 15 March.

Police said they are trying to secure his return to the UK. Yemen and the UK do not have an extradition treaty.

Mr Abdulhak's father is international businessman Shaher Abdulhak who founded Shaher Trading and whose empire includes petroleum, soft drinks, tourism and property.

Det Ch Insp Jessica Wadsworth said: "Over the last month the investigation has concentrated on piecing together Martine's final movements and the circumstance of her murder."

Initial tests on the body proved inconclusive but police had said she suffered significant neck injuries.

Officers are also looking for her blue, skinny jeans, a Guess watch and a Marc Jacobs handbag, which are missing.

Miss Magnussen's funeral will take place on 30 April in the Norwegian capital Oslo.