A man involved in a violent group attack on a youth worker in Tottenham has been jailed for his murder.
Neron Quartey, 21 (22.03.1997), of Rosebay Drive, N17 was found guilty of the murder of 22-year-old Kwabena Nelson following a trial at the Old Bailey which started last month.
Quartey was sentenced on the same date to life imprisonment to serve a minimum of 26 years.
Neron Quartey
Jailed - Neron Quartey
Police were called at about 01:30hrs on Saturday, 3 February, to Kemble Road at the junction of St Mary's Close, Tottenham, N17, to reports of a stabbing.
Officers attended along with London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance and found a man, later identified as Kwabena who is known as Kobi to friends and family, suffering from serious stab injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A post-mortem examination held at Haringey Mortuary on Monday, 5 February gave cause of death as hypovolemic shock and stab wounds.
The court heard that immediately before the murder, a black Honda Civic driven by Quartey, deliberately crashed into a grey Honda Civic being driven by Kwabena, in Kemble Road.
The occupants, carrying poles and knives, got out of the vehicle. Kwabena either got out or was forced from his vehicle, and he was attacked before the suspects ran off.
The court heard that the seriously injured Kwabena called police, and then a family member to tell them that he had been stabbed. Family members arrived at the scene, prior to his being declared deceased by a London Air Ambulance doctor who attended.
The Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command, led by Detective Inspector Jon Meager, launched an investigation.
The airbags in the suspect vehicle, which had been stolen 10 days prior, had been deployed, and investigators extracted DNA evidence from the driver’s side. A DNA match came back for Quartey.
A number of knives, some broken, were recovered from the nearby area and some were later linked to the incident through DNA evidence.
Quartey was arrested on Friday, 9 February and charged the following day with murder.
He first appeared at Highbury Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 12 February.
DI Jon Meager, from the Homicide and Major Crime Command said: "Kwabena was the victim of a sustained violent attack in which he appears to have been targeted. The reason is not known, but Kobi was not a gang member and it may be that he was mistakenly targeted by the defendant and his accomplices.
"He was outnumbered by a number of suspects with weapons, and the savagery of the attack meant that Kobi stood little chance and unfortunately succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
"His family have been left utterly devastated, and I would like to thank them for their assistance throughout the investigation.
"One person has been found guilty of Kwabena’s murder, but we know from witness accounts that other people were involved. I would like to assure Kobi’s family that we will continue to investigate and do everything we can to bring Quartey’s accomplices to justice. We would urge anybody who has any information about the incident to come forward. It may be that you have heard Kwabena’s murder being spoken about in the months since the killing, or you remember something about that night which may assist our investigation. Any information we do receive will be treated with the strictest confidence."
Kwabena Nelson aka Kobi
Victim - Kwabena Nelson aka Kobi
In a statement, Kobi’s mother - Serwah said: “Kobi was a son, cousin, favourite uncle, friend, colleague, best friend and my little boy. Snatched away from us in such a brutal and barbaric way. The young men, the cowards, who did this have now left a huge trail of devastation within my family. I wonder if they will ever realise this or just how much pain they have left us to cope with. I find every day a struggle. How could so few cause such devastation to so many of us. I take each day as it comes, sometimes I have to take each hour.”
Anyone with information about Kwabena’s murder should call the incident room on 020 8358 0200 or police on 101.
Information can also be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.
* On Saturday, 3 February, officers arrested two men, aged 19 [B] and 18 [C] and one teenage girl, aged 16 [D] as part of the investigation into Kwabena’s murder, at addresses in Haringey borough. They were taken to north London police stations and were released under investigation. Enquiries continue.