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Life term for killer of stranger in street
Knifeman told he must serve 12-year minimum
A “COWARDLY” killer who swaggered away smiling as a student lay dying in an Islington street was given a life sentence at the Old Bailey this week.
Nassirudeen Osawe was stabbed in the leg and through the heart five days before his 17th birthday after a “mindless” confrontation in crowded Upper Street.
Ahmet Gomulu, 18, who was convicted of his murder and of wounding a second victim, must serve a minimum 12 years. He was given a concurrent five-year sentence on the wounding charge.
The Recorder of London, Judge Peter Beaumont, told Gomulu he had reacted to a “wholly imagined slight”.
The judge added “There was no possibility of any threat to you.”
Gomulu, of Stoke Newington, had left home with a knife, boarded a bus and later produced the weapon in a packed public place, the judge added. He “wanted trouble” when he accused the victim of giving him a dirty look. He also had his Staffordshire bull terrier with him as “back-up”.
His victim, known as Nass, lived in Petherton Road, Highbury, and attended the same college in Archway as Martin Dinnegan, the 14-year-old stabbed to death in June last year for “straying into the wrong postcode area”. His killer was jailed for life two months ago.
Nass’s grieving mother, Fulera Idriss, told of the family’s “unbearable pain and suffering” at the death of the student on December 27 last year while on a shopping trip with two friends.
“Nothing can bring back our beloved and precious son, brother and friend,” she said. “Justice has been done to his memory. We urge all young people to put down their knives and respect each other and most of all respect life.”
Gomulu was on the top deck of a 73 bus nearing the Angel when he saw Nass and two pals on a bendy bus. They were complete strangers but he “felt big” and wanted to challenge them.
They were at a bus stop “minding their own business” when they were accused of staring at Gomulu. He stabbed a friend of Nass twice in the stomach – the wound was not life threatening – and then plunged the blade twice into the student when he went to his mate’s aid.
John Grieve, QC, defending, said Gomulu had “a troubled and difficult childhood” which led to learning and psychiatric problems. When he used the knife on Nass he “did not intend to kill”. |
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