Nigeria’s Akinsoji, one other jailed for life in London for brutal murder

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Nearly eight years after the brutal killing of 24-year-old Ahmed Deen-Jah, two men have been handed life sentences after DNA evidence finally tied them to the crime.

Lekan Akinsoji, 27, of no fixed address, and Sundjata Keita, 27, of St Margaret’s Court, E12, were convicted at the Old Bailey of Ahmed’s murder, which occurred in East London in 2017.

Akinsoji will serve a minimum of 28 years, while Keita must serve at least 22 years behind bars.

The pair were found guilty on Thursday, 9 October, after a jury concluded they carried out a cold-blooded and unprovoked attack on Ahmed inside a convenience store near Custom House station, Newham, on 2 April 2017.

CCTV footage captured the horrifying moments leading to the murder. Ahmed was seen entering the store around 3:20 p.m. to buy a lighter, only to return moments later, pursued by a masked man. The attacker chased him around the shop before stabbing him repeatedly and fleeing the scene. Ahmed was pronounced dead at the scene.

Detective Superintendent Kelly Allen, who led the investigation, described the killers’ actions as “cold-blooded and senseless,” adding that their attempt to evade justice failed once modern forensic technology caught up with them.

“I hope these sentences bring some comfort to Ahmed’s family, who have endured almost a decade of pain waiting for justice,” she said. “Akinsoji and Keita thought they could escape accountability, but DNA evidence told the truth.”

The killers were initially arrested within eight days of the murder but were released under investigation as police pursued complex leads. The case went cold for years until a 2023 review uncovered crucial breakthroughs.

Investigators reanalysed phone records, which placed Keita’s mobile inside the getaway car used during the attack. The car was later discovered burnt out in Epping Forest, suggesting an attempt to destroy evidence.

Further forensic tests on a knife sheath near the scene and DNA traces found on the victim’s hand provided conclusive matches to both men.

The pair were rearrested on 25 October 2024 and subsequently charged with murder. Prosecutors told the court that the killing stemmed from “tit-for-tat” gang violence, with the defendants prowling the area in a stolen vehicle in search of rival gang members.

During the trial, chilling CCTV footage showed Akinsoji ambushing Ahmed and stabbing him in cold blood while Keita waited nearby.

Following the verdict, Ahmed’s grieving father said he felt “overwhelmed with relief,” thanking detectives for their persistence in securing justice for his son.

“It has been years of anguish and mental torture,” he said. “But I’m grateful that the people who took Ahmed’s life have finally been brought to justice.”