New appeal in grandmother killing

A reward has been offered in a bid to catch the killer of a pensioner who was murdered after walking her grandchildren to school. Victoria Adu-Mensah, 83, was bound and suffocated before being set alight at her home in south London a year ago.

Scotland Yard is offering a ?7,500 reward for information leading to the conviction of the killers.

Police say items like a needle and a vest, which did not belong to her, were in the flat and could be vital clues.

On 6 March 2003 Ms Adu-Mensah had taken her grandchildren to the lollipop lady 200 yards away on their way to school, before heading back home to the Hertford Estate in Brixton.

Her daughter and son-in-law, who also live at the flat in Loughborough Road, had already left for work.

At 0945 BST firefighters discovered her body at the flat after being alerted by neighbours who noticed smoke.

A police spokesman said Mrs Adu-Mensah - a widow from Ghana who had lived in the UK for eight years - and her family, were law-abiding citizens, and there appeared to be no obvious motive.

DCI Nick Scola, leading the investigation, said: "This was a particularly shocking case whereby a vulnerable member of the community, was the victim of a callous and brutal murder."

He added: "There are a number of new appeal points that I would like assistance on, in particular around some items that were found at the address which do not belong to the family.

"These include an unused needle that was found on a draining board - why was it left it there and where did it come from?

"A white vest was also found with the label ?rnekler Tekstil - do you recognise the label? Do you know where these vests could have been bought?

"A green plastic Sprite bottle was found partly melted with the original screw top missing.

"It had been replaced with a Coca-cola bottle top which had had a hole pierced through it - presumably to sprinkle the accelerant through.

"Some plastic telephone wire and plaster tape were used to restrain the victim and a piece of surgical material that is used by people on drips - where could they have come from?"

'Emotions in free-fall'

On the anniversary of Mrs Adu-Mensah's death, her family described her life as "quiet but dignified".

The pensioners two grandsons, Mark and Matthew, and her daughter Alberta Folson appealed for any witnesses to come forward.

"Our emotions have been in free-fall and we are no nearer to getting answers to the questions we have," they said.

"Someone out there knows who is responsible for her murder. We urge them to come forward.

"It would be tragic for us all, as a community, if we stood here in a year's time, making another appeal."

To help the appeal a mobile police station will be stationed outside the entrance of Horle Walk accessed by Loughborough Road until Monday.