Life behind bars for killers who murdered Djodjo Nsaka
Mukeh Kawa, Ali Tas and Donald Davies. Kawa and Davies were found guilty of Djodjo Nsaka's murder, Tas of his manslaughter. All three have been jailed. - Credit: Archant
Three Colindale men have been jailed after a student was stabbed to death outside his university halls in Wembley.
Djodjo Nsaka, 19 and from Streatham, was killed outside the Unite student halls on Rutherford Way in the early hours of 20 January following an argument between two groups over an angry look.
Mukeh Joseph Kawa of Lancaster Close and Donald Davies of Martlesham Walk, both 21, were convicted yesterday of Mr Nsaka’s murder by a jury at the Old Bailey; today they were sentenced to life imprisonment, serving a minimum 26 years. Ali Tas, also 21 and of Eagle Drive, was convicted of manslaughter and jailed for seven and a half years.
During the trial the court heard how the dispute that ended with Mr Nsaka’s death began on January 18, when Kawa pulled a dirty look or ‘screwface’ at the victim and two of his friends, Chris Bonda and Daniel Tamfuri.
Mr Tamfuri asked a mutual acquaintance why Kawa had done this, adding that he should ‘be humble’.
The next day, Kawa, Davies and Tas drove in the latter’s car to the Middlesex University halls of residence where Mr Nsaka, Mr Bonda and Mr Tamfuri lived. They entered the halls and questioned passersby as to the whereabouts of the trio; they became so aggressive that security guards ejected them.
But they returned that night, parking outside the halls. As Mr Nsaka and his two friends returned home at around 1 am, the defendants began shouting at them challengingly – “Wagwan fam?” and “Humble who?” they reportedly called out as they emerged from the vehicle.
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Tas punched Mr Bonda and Kaweh pulled from his waistband a large hunting knife. The group fled towards the halls; Mr Bonda and Mr Tamfuri made it to safety, but Mr Nsaka, shouting ‘Allow it”, meaning stop, was stabbed in the chest as he tried to fend off his attacker with a traffic cone. He died shortly afterwards of his wounds.
The three defendants were arrested in the weeks following the attack.
Following the convictions, Mr Nsaka’s family said they struggled to understand how their loved one who was “not a fighter” could have been killed.
They said in a statement that he had a ‘heart of gold and never held any grudges’ and was at university because he wanted to ‘better himself’.