‘Killed By A Rich Kid’: when Channel 4 documentary about death of Manchester teenager Yousef Makki is on TV

A documentary about the stabbing of a teenager from south Manchester will be broadcast on national TV.

Channel 4 is showing ‘Killed By A Rich Kid’, about the death of grammar school pupil Yousef Makki in 2019, this evening (Monday 21 March). It will also be available to view on 40D, the Channel 4 on-demand streaming service.

Two years have gone into working on the documentary, which looks at the circumstances around 17-year-old Yousef’s death and his family’s desperate search for justice and answers.

Here’s your guide to what promises to be a moving and difficult watch.

When is ‘Killed By A Rich Kid’ on television and what is it about?

‘Killed By A Rich Kid’ will be screened on Channel 4 tonight (Monday 21 March) at 9pm.

It takes a forensic, in-depth look at Yousef’s death and the criminal and official processes that took place afterwards.

The documentary will air for an hour and 35 minutes.

And if you didn’t manage to watch it on Monday evening, it can still be viewed on catch-up at the Channel 4 website for several weeks.

The film-makers approached all the major parties in the case, although some declined the opportunity to appear on camera.

The programme includes harrowing details of the 999 call which alerted the emergency services to the scene and features an interview with a security guard who was the first witness.

It then follows Yousef’s devastated and grieving family through the long and difficult process of trying to get justice for him.

What happened to Yousef Makki and following his death?

Yousef’s death shocked Greater Manchester to its core because the stabbing took place in Hale Barns, a well-to-do area of Trafford which was described as “leafy, affluent” in one of the news reports heard in the documentary.

Joshua Molnar, Yousef’s friend, said he acted in self-defence in court and he was found not guilty of murder or manslaughter, although he was given a sentence related to possessing a blade.

An inquest then concluded that it was not possible to establish the exact circumstances of Yousef’s death. A narrative verdict recorded Yousef died from a stab wound to the chest.

Yousef’s family is currently exploring avenues for going back to court for a judicial review of the inquest.

His sister Jade Akoum has also written a book about her brother while a foundation has been launched in his memory to help underprivileged young people in education.

Some people who agreed to be in the documentary will speak about the dangers of young people carrying knives.