Father of Mikaeel Kular ‘learned through media’ his son’s killer mum was being released from jail over 4 years early

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The father of toddler Mikaeel Kular claims he only learned through the media that his son’s killer mother was released from prison after serving less than seven years of an 11-year prison sentence.

Zahid Saeed, from Fife, told the Daily Record his three-year-old son had been “failed” by the justice system after Rosdeep Adekoya was released from Cornton Vale prison in Stirling on Friday.

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Little Mikaeel died two days after being beaten repeatedly by Adekoya following a family meal at a restaurant in January 2014. After discovering his lifeless body on the floor of their home in Drylaw, she put it in a suitcase and drove to Kirkcaldy to hide it in woodland behind her sister’s house.

The High Court in Edinburgh had heard that Adekoya dialled 999 to report her son missing, sparking a major two-day search operation involving the emergency services and hundreds of local volunteers.

Rosdeep Adekoya was released from Cornton Vale prison in Stirling on Friday.Rosdeep Adekoya was released from Cornton Vale prison in Stirling on Friday.
Rosdeep Adekoya was released from Cornton Vale prison in Stirling on Friday.

In reality, she had beaten him so badly that when his body was found it had more than 40 separate injuries.

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Speaking to the Record, Mr Saeed: “I found out through the media. I thought it was a joke, I couldn’t believe that she was out so soon.

“How many times does the system need to fail?”

Mr Saeed is not registered on the Victim Notification Scheme (VNS) which is managed by the Scottish Prison Service. Any decision to release a prisoner is made by the Parole Board for Scotland and victims registered on the VNS would be notified by the parole board of the outcome of the parole review.

Little Mikaeel died two days after being beaten repeatedly by Adekoya following a family meal at a restaurant in January 2014Little Mikaeel died two days after being beaten repeatedly by Adekoya following a family meal at a restaurant in January 2014
Little Mikaeel died two days after being beaten repeatedly by Adekoya following a family meal at a restaurant in January 2014

Adekoya was jailed for 11 years at the High Court in Edinburgh in 2014 after she beat the toddler to death at their home in the Capital’s Ferry Gait Crescent.

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Adekoya had "lost her temper" when Mikaeel was repeatedly sick following a trip to Nando's at Edinburgh's Fountain Park, the court heard.

She smacked him and struck him on the body and head with a clenched fist.

When Mikaeel was sick for a third time, she dragged him to the shower by his arms and "beat him heavily" on his back as he lay over the bath edge.

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Over the next few days Mikaeel's condition worsened and he became "listless" but his mother did not take him to a doctor because of the bruising.

Adekoya was initially charged with murder but convicted of the lesser crime of culpable homicide in August 2014 after telling the court she did not mean to kill her son.

Mr Saeed told the Record she acted “callously” and that “any decent human being would have confessed at the beginning” rather than try to cover up the death. He also said he fears where Adekoya will relocate to and that he feels “frustrated” knowing she is now free.

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The grieving father said he often thinks about his son’s big smile and hopes that is how he will be remembered.

The Sun newspaper, which first reported the story of Adekoya’s early release, reported that Mr Saeed also criticised justice secretary Humza Yousaf over the situation in a tweet and said he had to find out through the press.

The Scottish Government said it can not comment on the detail of individual cases.

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