Found Deceased UK - Joy Morgan, 20, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, 26 Dec 2018 *arrest*

[Legally Bland]

Israel, whose birth name is Ajibola Shogbamimu, also attended the Israel United in Christ church with his wife, the court heard.

The couple, who had addresses in both Cricklewood and Luton, had befriended Ms Morgan and would give her lifts in his red and black Honda car between her student accommodation in Hatfield and the church, the court heard.

Phone messages between Israel and Ms Morgan showed that she referred to him as a father figure, the court heard.

One message sent in January 2018 read: "I really do appreciate how you treat me like a daughter. From the beginning I have struggled with not have a father in this truth because I came in soo young. I understand i have spiritual fathers but you treat me like i am your blood daughter (sic)."

[...]

While he initially told police he dropped Ms Morgan off at her student accommodation in Hatfield after a church event on December 26, he later told officers he had in fact brought her back to his flat in Cricklewood where she stayed on the sofa for two nights before he claimed he drove her back to Hatfield', Mr Fenhalls said.

The prosecutor, who said what happened in the intervening hours is "at the heart" of the case, added: "The Crown's case is that he is one of those people who lies whenever he thinks he can get away with it.

"Only when presented with a new piece of evidence does he suddenly come up with a fresh explanation."

Mr Fenhalls added: "The Crown says he is a thoroughly dishonest and manipulative man."

Joy Morgan murder trial: Court told Ilford church member accused of murdering missing student 'treated her like a daughter'

Bit more at link.

 

[mrazda71]

Jurors heard she attended the Israel United in Christ Church, in Ilford, along with Shohfah-El Israel - the man accused of killing her.

Mr Israel, 40, denies murder, and is on trial at Reading Crown Court.

Opening the case, prosecutor Mark Fenhalls QC said the trial was "unlike many murder cases".

He added: "No friend, fellow student or family member has seen her.

"Her body is missing, but we say that all the available evidence make sure she is dead and that Israel is responsible."

Missing student 'murdered by fellow churchgoer'

From the same article -

Mr Israel became a suspect in the missing persons case and was arrested on the M25 near St Albans on 9 February.

He was questioned for three days and when his car was searched police found Ms Morgan's house keys.

Mr Fenhalls said Mr Israel's first account was that he had driven Ms Morgan to her home in Hatfield on 26 December, when he dropped her off.

However, jurors heard that data from Mr Israel and Ms Morgan's phones "suggested" they were in Cricklewood, where he lived.
Mr Fenhalls said: "His account completely changed and he said that Joy did go to Cricklewood with him in the early hours of 27 December, but that she slept on the sofa.

"He is one of those people who lies whenever he thinks he can get away with it.

"Only when presented with a new piece of evidence does he come up with a fresh explanation.

"He is, we say, a thoroughly dishonest and manipulative man."


BBM - Exactly the same as Boy B in Ana Kriegel case!

 

[mrazda71]

Israel, whose birth name is Ajibola Shogbamimu, also attended the Israel United in Christ church with his wife, the court heard.

The couple, who had addresses in both Cricklewood and Luton, had befriended Ms Morgan and would give her lifts in his red and black Honda car between her student accommodation in Hatfield and the church, the court heard.

Phone messages between Israel and Ms Morgan showed that she referred to him as a father figure, the court heard.

One message sent in January 2018 read: "I really do appreciate how you treat me like a daughter. From the beginning I have struggled with not have a father in this truth because I came in soo young. I understand i have spiritual fathers but you treat me like i am your blood daughter (sic)."


Joy Morgan murder trial: Court told Ilford church member accused of murdering missing student 'treated her like a daughter'

 

[Legally Bland]

No forensics.
_______________

Ms Morgan's number was removed from a Telegram chat group - consisting of church members - on the evening of December 28.

Her phone, which has never been found, was detected in the defendant's car in the Stevenage area on that day.

Mr Fenhalls said the prosecution case is she was dead at this point and Israel was "perhaps looking for somewhere to dispose of the body".

Two calls were made from Ms Morgan's phone to the NHS Direct 111 service on the evening of December 28 but a transcript showed no words were spoken.

Mr Fenhalls said no forensic evidence had been recovered which would help the jury reach any conclusions about "how or where or when she died".

Missing Joy Morgan ‘murdered by churchgoer she saw as father figure'

 

[mrazda71]

No forensics ... concerns me a little but, I'm confident that there must be strong evidence or we wouldn't be where we are ...

 

[Jackalyn]

It sounds to me like we will hear convincing evidence at some point, but the prosecution is keeping it close. They seem so sure she is dead and this man is guilty. I hoped Joy might be 8n hiding but it is not stacking up that way. 111 call would imply a need for medical attention and there will be a record of where the call is from. Joy's keys in the car and the sofa story. The sudden removal from social media makes me think Joy was held against her will for a while at some point. It makes no sense otherwise. I would assume they searched the guy's home.

 

[mrazda71]

Student midwife says church is 'best family' in video shown to court - Premier

 

[Legally Bland]

Student midwife says church is 'best family' in video shown to court - Premier

Bit from the link:

Israel, who was with his wife during the call, told Maria Fernandez from the Hertfordshire Police missing persons unit that their "primary concern" was Ms Morgan's safety.

He said: "Our primary concern is her, to find out, make sure she's OK, that is our primary concern."

Chindu Nwankwo said her husband had dropped Ms Morgan off at home after the church event on December 26.

Israel told Ms Fernandez, in a call that was partly recorded by the defendant or his wife, that the couple had gone to check up on Ms Morgan three days later on the Saturday.

Mrs Nwankwo said a housemate of Ms Morgan's had told them that while they had not seen her in a while, her laundry was in the machine the previous night.

The defendant's wife added: "So that means that she was there on Thursday."

Israel said he returned later that day with a "brother" from the church to check again to see if she was in, but when they got no answer they left a contact number with another housemate.

 

[Legally Bland]

The witness, who agreed with a suggestion that she was something of a mother figure to Morgan, said: “She started to cry and I didn’t want to draw any attention to her at that point because I didn’t want her to be embarrassed.


“She didn’t cry for long because I kind of respectfully just didn’t want anybody else to see that she was crying so I kind of dampened it down.”

Another church member Trine Samba, known as Sister Yahzel, was also at the event, which included a dinner and games, and said Morgan had seemed “really down”.

She told the court: “Throughout the day she was quite isolated. She kept herself to herself.”

Morgan was not participating in the games with the others at the church so Sister Yahzel said she approached her to ask what was wrong.

The witness told the court Morgan asked her: “Do you ever feel like what if?”

Sister Yahzel added: “And I was waiting for her to say something but she didn’t. There was an awkward silence for a few seconds. I didn’t want to pry.”

She described Morgan as a “serious person” and said she was surprised when it appeared she had left the church, which the court has heard she saw as a family.


HuffPost is now part of Oath

 

[mrazda71]

Does Joy look 'down' or 'isolated' here? Video from the day that the 2 witnesses spoke of ...

I wouldn't trust a word out of their mouths.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=404159136813443

 

[mrazda71]

Disappointing coverage from the media ...

 

[mrazda71]

Shofah-El 'has quite a few degrees, including A Law degree' ... allegedly!


Sister Lydia described the defendant and his wife as being like a son and daughter to her and said she had stayed with them at their addresses in Luton and Cricklewood and they had stayed at her home in Harlesden.

Israel, who she said has "quite a few degrees" including law, is not a violent person, she told the court.

She said: "I have never seen him act violently towards his wife in my presence or at any time."

The trial has heard that in phone messages Israel sometimes referred to Ms Morgan as "darling sister".

Sister Lydia said it was "not unusual" for the male members of the church to refer to the females - known as sisters within the church - in this way.

She added: "When I'm at work we call each other 'dear', 'sweetie'. To him (the defendant), Joy was like a daughter."

But another witness, Abigail Jaiyeloa, who has also changed her surname to Israel, said the term darling would be "inappropriate".

She said: "He could call his wife darling, but not me. He wouldn't call me that. That's inappropriate, I would say."

The court also heard there are strict church rules on men and women dating - a so-called "proving" process which requires permission from the higher ranking male members and sees dates chaperoned.

The jury was also told that Ms Morgan, as a single female, could not have travelled alone in the car with Israel according to church rules.




Joy Morgan: Hatfield student 'seen in tears' on day she went missing

 

[mrazda71]

Up to witness 24 today ... and not a single mention that I could find on news sites, barely anyone on Twitter talking about the trial ...

Why? Why is there SO little coverage or concern for Joy?

 

[Jackalyn]

Up to witness 24 today ... and not a single mention that I could find on news sites, barely anyone on Twitter talking about the trial ...

Why? Why is there SO little coverage or concern for Joy?

Something seems so off in all of this.

 

[Jackalyn]

Did they adjourn the trial or what? I just cannot understand this silence.
Joy Morgan trial: Cricklewood man accused of killing missing student was a fellow worshipper at her church

1. Do you not ask someone who is crying to do more. I don't know about anyone else but would you not take them to a quieter place and try to help?

2. In all the churches I have known crying is not an issue. This sort of church people cry and do all sorts and it is not seen as unusual.

3. I can understand the question about domestic violence but usually, it is NOT seen. They need to ask the wife. Not sure they can though.

4. I cannot trust anything that the members of the church say. If anyone saw the BBC documentary about the Jesus Army, I was a member from 1973 to 2000 and saw firsthand. People in an organisation like this cover-up rather than allow things to be revealed. There is always a reason given that makes sense internally until you look at it from the outside.

Therefore, the person from the church on the stand is not someone I can trust although she may think she is truthful. It is possible she is holding back out of loyalty to the organisation. IMO. The rationale is the organisation must be protected at all costs. It is unlikely a "church" witness will say anything to present the "church" in a bad light, out of loyalty. (Note: I am not blaming the woman, but the culture and it is all IMO.)

5. This "church". seems to have strict male/female rules. I can kind of understand the denial if Joy did, indeed stay at the man's flat.

6. The idea that this kind of "church" would NOT go after someone is suspect to me. In that environment, if you try to leave or do not show up someone is on your case right away and they are very persistent. The idea Joy's leaving would not be followed up makes no sense with the religious culture she was in.

7. You can say anyone is dishonest and manipulative but in a court, you need hard evidence. They have to have more than this.

5. But why was this man taking such an interest. Was it a "fatherly thing to do."

I think they have something they are sitting on till the right moment.

In court, Friday July 12th the following...

Updated. Found out on Youtube, but not sure I can post the link? (Gina Blue presentation.) There is a comment about Shofah el Israel's wife telling the court that she found out in the previous week he neglected to tell her or the church he didn't take Joy home. He "forgot" to mention taking her to the flat at Cricklewood to her, the church and the police. They had both "forgotten" the keys in the stairwell of the car. (Hmm if you keep someone's spare keys this is not where you would keep them?) I just do not buy any man being able to call any woman apart from his wife "darling" in that religious environment. Police found out Joy was at the Cricklewood flat tracking her phone. Wife says she can prove she bought the keyrings.

So there is no news, but the case was in court on Friday 12th July (so why no news reports?)

 

[mrazda71]

Did they adjourn the trial or what? I just cannot understand this silence.
Joy Morgan trial: Cricklewood man accused of killing missing student was a fellow worshipper at her church

1. Do you not ask someone who is crying to do more. I don't know about anyone else but would you not take them to a quieter place and try to help?

Yes! I certainly would! & don't even believe in any God. I've asked crying strangers if they're okay & if I can offer help.

2. In all the churches I have known crying is not an issue. This sort of church people cry and do all sorts and it is not seen as unusual.

My thoughts are that the IUIC is a very mysonagnistic 'church & the men would be irritated by women crying.

3. I can understand the question about domestic violence but usually, it is NOT seen. They need to ask the wife. Not sure they can though.

Completely agree! & even then, the wife may still cover up for the husband.

4. I cannot trust anything that the members of the church say. If anyone saw the BBC documentary about the Jesus Army, I was a member from 1973 to 2000 and saw firsthand. People in an organisation like this cover-up rather than allow things to be revealed. There is always a reason given that makes sense internally until you look at it from the outside.

Therefore, the person from the church on the stand is not someone I can trust although she may think she is truthful. It is possible she is holding back out of loyalty to the organisation. IMO. The rationale is the organisation must be protected at all costs. It is unlikely a "church" witness will say anything to present the "church" in a bad light, out of loyalty. (Note: I am not blaming the woman, but the culture and it is all IMO.)

Again, I wholeheartedly agree! Telling members not to speak to anyone investigating! Talk of non disclosure agreements!! ... people with nothing to hide, hide nothing I say.

Side note, I'm glad that you escaped the grip & hope you're happier now.

5. This "church". seems to have strict male/female rules. I can kind of understand the denial if Joy did, indeed stay at the man's flat.

I get the impression that the husband & wife may live separately? 2 addresses ... IF Joy stayed at the flat and the wife was there too, there wouldn't be a problem.

6. The idea that this kind of "church" would NOT go after someone is suspect to me. In that environment, if you try to leave or do not show up someone is on your case right away and they are very persistent. The idea Joy's leaving would not be followed up makes no sense with the religious culture she was in.

100% agreed! You would have an inbox hotter than Hades bum!

It is laughable that they suggest that no one would blink an eye at a member suddenly leaving ... utter rubbish!

7. You can say anyone is dishonest and manipulative but in a court, you need hard evidence. They have to have more than this.

I'm hoping so but, it would certainly be nice to have some reporting from Court to reassure me.

5. But why was this man taking such an interest. Was it a "fatherly thing to do."

I think they have something they are sitting on till the right moment.

In court, Friday July 12th the following...

Updated. Found out on Youtube, but not sure I can post the link? (Gina Blue presentation.) There is a comment about Shofah el Israel's wife telling the court that she found out in the previous week he neglected to tell her or the church he didn't take Joy home. He "forgot" to mention taking her to the flat at Cricklewood to her, the church and the police. They had both "forgotten" the keys in the stairwell of the car. (Hmm if you keep someone's spare keys this is not where you would keep them?) I just do not buy any man being able to call any woman apart from his wife "darling" in that religious environment. Police found out Joy was at the Cricklewood flat tracking her phone. Wife says she can prove she bought the keyrings.

Lies, lies, more lies. Bit like Mark Bridger who murdered April Jones 'accidentally' then 'couldn't remember' what he did with the body.

So there is no news, but the case was in court on Friday 12th July (so why no news reports?)

I've replied in bold under each point in the quote for ease.

 

[mrazda71]

Up to witness 28!

I really can't understand the lack of reporting, unless there's nothing much to report or they doubt want to give the IUIC any publicity ...

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Up to witness 28!

I really can't understand the lack of reporting, unless there's nothing much to report or they doubt want to give the IUIC any publicity ...

Maybe the media are uneasy about printing much because of the church link, seemed to be some sort of weird undergroundy stuff going on according to the church member who posted here. Scared me off sleuthing too much, perhaps the journos feel the same!

 

[mrazda71]

Finally... some reporting though not much by way of info.

Student midwife 'family' - murder accused

 

[mrazda71]

Police unable to verify 'potential sightings' of Hatfield student Joy due to CCTV footage expiring