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Mahir Osman |
Praise for murder witnesses
Judge pays tribute to pair who intervened after victim was stabbed to death
TWO witnesses who threw themselves into the midst of the murderous gang that killed teenager Mahir Osman have been commended for their actions.
Judge Stephen Kramer QC singled out Camden residents Judith Smith, 33, and Michael Kritharis, 35, for their bravery following the conclusion of the trial into the killing of 18-year-old student Mr Osman outside Camden Town Tube station in January last year.
Five members of the 40-strong gang which left Mr Osman dying on Camden High Street – were yesterday (Wednesday) jailed at the Old Bailey.
Interpol and Scotland Yard are still hunting more suspects who are believed to have fled abroad after escaping from the top floor of a 253 bus on the night of the killing.
The vehicle had been seized by police officers after the gang boarded the double-decker in a bid to escape.
Secretary Miss Smith was so angered by what she saw that she chased the gang and boarded the bus to confront them. She demanded – and got – two mobile phones which the thugs had taken from a mugging victim.
She said: “I felt it was my duty to go after them. One suspect was foaming at the mouth and shouted at me, ‘what the f**k has it got to do with you, bitch?’ I got blood on my hands and saw a knife with a 10-inch blade on the floor.”
Promoter Michael Kritharis, 35, saw Mahir being surrounded.
He told the court: “He was alone and I jumped off the bus to take his side. When I got to him I pushed some of the men away. I was disgusted by what they did and wanted to lay into them. They scarpered. I couldn’t do much for him and just held him. He was in so much pain.”
Judge Kramer said Mr Kritharis and Miss Smith put themselves in great danger and deserved the highest commendation for their public-spirited intervention.
Earlier eight others, including a son of former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, were sentenced for their parts in the “Reservoir Dogs-style” attack.
Three were given life terms for the murder of Mr Osman, known as ‘Smiley’. He was hacked to death after an escalation of ‘tit for tat’ violence between rival gangs of Somalis in north London.
Police say it was the worst “brazen and public display of a chilling gang murder ever witnessed”.
A popular rap artist who has performed alongside Beyonce and Jay Z, has called on gangs to observe a truce.
Daniel Gomez, 21, known as Saint Emcee, who was a good friend of Mahir, said: “Since his murder, the feud has come to an end. We need it to stay that way.”
Judge Kramer described the ambush of Mahir as a “senseless, vicious and deliberate explosion of frenzied violence” which put onlookers in fear for their own lives.
Mahir, a mechanical engineering student who lived in Adelaide Road, Swiss Cottage, was two days short of his 19th birthday when he was killed in front of hundreds of passers-by near the Tube station on January 28 last year.
After being deliberately targeted as he waited for a bus, Mahir was stabbed 17 times in 19 seconds the court heard.
“His body was left like a pincushion,” said prosecutor Brendan Finucane, QC.
The gang, armed with knives, scaffold poles, bottles, clubs and hammers, screamed: “Kill him, kill him. Stab him through the heart. Do the bastard.”
Faisal Wangita, 25, from Enfield, the only non-Somali gang member, was cleared of murder. He was sentenced to five years for conspiracy to wound and violent disorder.
Four others were jailed in addition to the three sentenced to life.
The youngest member of the gang, Anwar Qasim, 17, from Edmonton, was jailed for five years for conspiracy to wound, possess weapons and violent disorder.
Mohamed Tumaye, 18, and Abdi Abdillhae, 21, both of Beresford Road, Finsbury Park, were each jailed for three years and nine months for conspiracy to wound, possess weapons, violent disorder and robbery.
Father-of-two Mohamed Siad, 23, of Highbury Quadrant, Islington, was given an indeterminate sentence but must serve a minimum five years for the same offences.
Judge Kramer praised the courage of Sgt Bob Dear and two colleagues, PCs Dave Atkins and Gerry McGann.
Armed only with their batons – they had been out checking club and pub licences – they captured 24 men on the double decker which was littered with knives and other weapons. |
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