AFTER A TRIAL at the Old Bailey three men from Ilford have been found guilty of murdering Abdifatah Sheikhey, 19, who was shot as he sat in a car in Bedford Road, at the junction with Ilford Lane.
It was around 11pm on 21st March when the emergency services received reports that a man had been shot in the chest and abdomen and was unconscious. Paramedics administered emergency treatment but they were unable to save Sheikhey, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
The murder investigation was led by Detective Chief Inspector Chris Jones from the Metropolitan Police Homicide and Major Crime Command. The established that as Sheikhey sat in his car in Woodlands Road, a BMW drew up alongside it.
A man got out of the BMW. His face was covered and he used a handgun to shoot his victim. Sheikhey was taken by surprise and offered no resistance. The car Sheikhey was sat in was then driven the short distance to the location where police found it. The BMW was then driven off and it was later found abandoned.
Police were able to trace the movements of the BMW on CCTV and then identified the suspects. Further investigations provided more evidence of the suspects’ involvement: for example, one of them had hired the BMW; another had a mobile phone with him and its location records placed him at the scene of the murder.
Detectives also discovered that one of the three suspects, Omar, and the victim knew each other and had had a violent argument in a fast food restaurant in Ilford Lane. Detectives believed that the murder was a revenge attack in response to the argument.
The suspects were arrested and although they did not respond to any questions when questioned, they were later charged. They have now gone on trial and been convicted of murder. The murderers are: •Sami Omar, 21, of Kingston Rd, Ilford; •Suleman Roberto Mohamed, 21, of Kingston Road, Ilford; •Jordie Kibusi, 21, of Wisteria Close, Ilford. They will return to the Old Bailey on 14th November for sentencing.
DCI Chris Jones said, “This senseless murder – believed to have been committed in retaliation for a clash between the victim and one of the suspects – has devastated Abdifatah’s family. These three suspects went out with the sole intention of tracking down Abdifatah and causing him serious harm. With a firearm in their possession, this tragic outcome was inevitable. They now face a significant period in jail, and I hope the verdict will allow Abdifatah’s family to come to terms with his death.”
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