US Court Jails Nigerians for Life Imprisonment Over Murder Charges
Three men, Joshua Oladele (believed to be a Nigerian), Micah Hines, and Ali Alamiri have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 25-year-old Hamza Iqbal in London, United Kingdom, according to multiple reports.
Hamza was stabbed 23 times in a revenge attack that took place on September 24, 2023, when he and his friends were ambushed by the trio wielding machetes.
The attackers were reportedly acting on behalf of 28-year-old Dontae Smicle, who had been stabbed 11 days earlier.
Snaresbrook Crown Court delivered the judgement, stating that Smicle, believed to be the mastermind behind the attack, has fled the country.
Oladele was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 28 years, Hines received 25 years, and Alamiri 24 years.
Hamza’s family described him as a devoted family man who was on his way to see an Arsenal game before his death. They added, “Hamza was football crazy. He might not have been the best player, but his love for Arsenal was unmatched.”
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The court was told that the brutal attack stemmed from a gang rivalry, with Smicle believing that Hamza’s group was responsible for the earlier attack on him.
Smicle spotted them that fateful evening and called Oladele, said to be a known drug runner since age 13, to exact revenge.
The three men, donning hoodies and balaclavas, were seen by an eyewitness psyching each other up before launching their deadly assault.
As Hamza and his friends tried to flee, Oladele chased Hamza down, stabbing him repeatedly even as he lay helpless on the ground. Hines then joined in, inflicting further wounds.
Honorary Recorder of Redbridge, Judge Rosa Dean, described the attack as a “punishment killing” and lamented the terror Hamza must have felt in his final moments.
Dean refused the attackers’ claims that they only intended to scare Hamza’s group under Smicle’s orders, remarking, “None of you have shown any remorse during the trial. Everything you’ve done has been to try to save yourselves and downplay your responsibility. While the plan may have been Smicle’s, you were all ready and willing to carry it out.”
