Maryam Hamka’s family speaks out: loved ones say discovery of her remains at Cape Schanck sent waves of sadness and relief
- Maryam Hamka has been missing for two years
- Remains found on the Mornington Peninsula
- Two men have been charged with his murder
More than two harrowing years after Maryam Hamka was last seen alive, the discovery of her remains has allowed the devastated family to bring her “home”.
The last known sighting of the 36-year-old woman was on April 10, 2021 as she was leaving a Woolworths supermarket in Brunswick, a northern suburb of Melbourne.
Victoria Police announced on Monday afternoon that they had found the remains of Ms Hamka at around 10:30am that day in bushland off Rogers Road at Cape Schanck, on the Mornington Peninsula, south-east of Melbourne. .
Ms Hamka’s sister, Hannah, said she was sitting with her mother, children and another sister, Amel, when they saw the police approaching the house.
Maryam Hamka’s family have expressed their relief but also devastation after police found her remains after a search of more than two years.
Maryam Hamka poses with her mother Susan before going missing after being last seen in April 2021.
‘I ran to the door and said: ‘Have you found my sister?’ and he (the officer) said, “Maybe we should talk inside,” Hannah said to the herald sun.
‘My family is pretty devastated to be honest. It feels so surreal now.
Ms Hamka’s ex-boyfriend Toby Loughnane will stand trial for her murder, while her friend Oscar Newman is accused of helping him clean up a blood stain at his home in Melbourne’s exclusive suburb of Brighton.
Police allege that Mr Loughnane murdered Ms Hamka on April 11, 2021 at her Brighton home.
Loughnane has pleaded not guilty and his trial will take place in the High Court of Victoria.
Hannah said the family can now bury Ms Hamka’s remains with some “dignity” and in a place where they can visit her.
“She’s home with us…she’s not out there like it’s nothing,” Hannah said.
Once the coroner releases her body to her family, a funeral will take place.
On the second anniversary of Ms Hamka’s death, Amel posted a heartbreaking tribute on Facebook.
“Two years ago today you lost your life,” it said.
‘Two years doesn’t normally seem like a long time, but it has seemed like an eternity without you, Maryam Hamka.
Missing you so much, you have left a great void in our lives, a hole in our hearts. We think of you all day every day.
“Our fight for justice for you sister has been mentally, emotionally and physically exhausting but we will never give up until justice is done and I know Allah is great we will get justice in many ways insha Allah.
‘Allah Yarhamik sister. we love you so much.’
Ms Hamka’s ex-boyfriend, Toby Loughnane, has pleaded not guilty to her murder ahead of his trial later this year.
Loughnane’s friend, Oscar Newman, has pleaded not guilty to assisting in the murder of Ms Hamka.
During a preliminary hearing last year, the court heard that a significant blood-like stain was found on a section of the carpet at the bottom of the stairs at Mr Loughnane’s Brighton home.
But no DNA profile could be obtained from the sample, forensic expert Maxwell Jones told the court.
That could be because a small amount of blood was spread, consistent with situations where a person has tried to clean up the blood, he said.
“That may be one explanation for why we got such a broad luminol reaction in that area of the carpet,” he said.
Judge Johanna Metcalf found after an indictment hearing that began in May that there was sufficient evidence to support a murder conviction even without Ms Hamka’s remains.
Newman will also stand trial on charges of helping Loughnane avoid arrest between April 11 and 15.
He has also pleaded not guilty.
Mr Loughnane remains behind bars in custody while Newman remains on bail.
