Lekan Akinsoji, 27 of no fixed address and Sundjata Keita, 27 of St Margaret’s Court appeared at the Old Bailey on Thursday (October 9), where they were found guilty of murdering Ahmed Deen-Jah.
A murder investigation was launched on April 2, 2017 after 24-year-old Ahmed was stabbed during an unprovoked assault in a convenience store in Freemasons Road
CCTV footage showed Ahmed entering the store at around 3.20pm where he bought a cigarette lighter.
He was seen to return to the shop around 30 seconds later being followed by a man wearing a balaclava.
The man chased Ahmed around the shop before stabbing him and running away and Ahmed was pronounced dead at the scene.
Lekan Akinsoji (left) and Sundjata Keita (right)(Image: Metropolitan Police)
Akinsoji and Keita were initially arrested within eight days of the investigation starting but were released under investigation due to insufficient evidence.
An investigation review was carried out in 2023 which traced Keita’s phone to inside the car used for the murder travelling away from the murder.
The car had travelled to Epping Forest following the murder where it was later found on fire.
An evidence package was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service including forensic results from a knife sheath found close to the scene which were a match to Keita.
DNA found on the victim’s hand was also matched to Akinsoji.
The men were subsequently rearrested on Friday, 25 October last year and charged with murder.
The Mirror reported that days before the murder Akinsoji “rapped about how he intended to avoid being caught in a rap video titled Armed and Ready. He is heard saying: ‘No face, no case, no evvy (evidence)’.”
A trial for the two men began on September 8, where the court heard how Ahmed’s murder was a result of “tit for tat” violence between gangs and that both men had been driving around the area in a stolen car, looking for people they suspected being in a rival gang.
On Thursday, (October 9), the jury found both men guilty of murder and they will appear at the Old Bailey on October 24 for sentencing.
Detective Superintendent Kelly Allen said: “Eight years on from Ahmed’s vicious murder, today his family finally have the justice they deserve.
“Akinsoji and Keita have spent years thinking they have got away with murdering Ahmed, a man who they had never met and didn’t know. They drove out to Custom House and attacked Ahmed who was simply going to the shops.
“Despite damning forensics evidence against them, they have refused to acknowledge their actions which has put Ahmed’s family through a painful trial.
“This remains a horrendous case where a young man has lost his life.
“My team worked persistently with the Crown Prosecution Service to find those responsible and make sure that Akinsoji and Keita cannot harm anyone else.
