Six guilty of murder of drug dealer shot dead after serving jail time for dismembering body of jazz musician
Six people have been found guilty of the murder after a drug dealer was shot dead in west London.
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Five men and a boy were found guilty at the Old Bailey on Tuesday following the murder of 21-year-old Janayo Lucima in April 2024.
Lucima was killed by a single bullet at around 10:15pm on Monday, April 1, 2024, after he opened the front door of his house in Comeragh Road, West Kensington, in what the prosecution described as a "planned and organised execution".
The killing was linked to a dispute over drugs, the court heard, with several of the defendants had attempting to flea the country following the killing.
Co-defendants Muktar Said, 23, of Hammersmith; Issa Siteri, 19, of Kensington; Yusuf Abdi, 19, of Westminster; and a 17-year-old youth were all found guilty of murder.
Lucima had previously served a three year sentence for dismembering the body of a jazz musician, with Lucima admitting to running a drugs line from the 53-year-old William Algar's property.
Lucima, then aged 19, was jailed for three years following the murder, which took place in Barnes, south west London, following the dispute linked to drugs and payments.
Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie, senior investigating officer from the Specialist Crime Command said: “Our thoughts are with Janayo’s family, who have all been deeply affected by the senseless violence that night.
"His family attended each day of the trial and listened to every harrowing detail of the traumatic events of the night he was killed.
“None of the defendants provided a truthful explanation as to why he was killed. Janayo’s family will never be able to understand why their loved one was lured to his death and into the sights of the waiting gunman as soon as he emerged, with no opportunity to defend himself.
“This was not a random killing. The defendants came with murderous intent, armed not only with a handgun but also with knives.
“Each of the defendants had their role to play and all of them were participants in the murder of Janayo. With joint participation comes joint responsibility.
“We worked tirelessly over many months, painstakingly gathering evidence to ensure those involved were brought to justice. Violence and the use of weapons will never be tolerated, and we strive to ensure a safer London.”
The court heard how despite the best efforts of emergency services in April 2024, Lucima was pronounced dead at the scene.
The shooting had been strategically planned by the defendants, the prosecution claimed, with each having a specific role to play in the killing.
Although Mohamed Mansaray, 18, pulled the trigger, the doorstep killing was orchestrated by Khuder Al Kurdi, 22, from his home nearby, the Old Bailey heard.
CCTV footage shown to the court captured the five defendants meeting at Fabian Road, Fulham on the evening of the murder.
During this time, they were in contact with Khuder Al-Kurdi via phone calls, who was at home as the incident unfolded. Phone records showed he was also in contact with Janayo pretending to set up a drug deal, and passed on the information of the victim’s whereabouts to the other defendants.
Mohammed Mansaray was seen flashing the gun, that would later fire the fatal shot, as they waited. After a signal from Khuder Al-Kurdi, they made their way to Comeragh Road, with some changing their clothes en route.
Video footage showed the defendants concealing themselves along Comeragh Road, with Mansaray positioning himself opposite Janayo’s house.
A call was made to Al-Kurdi, who phoned Janayo and lured him outside on the false pretences of collecting drugs. Less than a minute later, Janayo stepped outside and was fatally shot by Mansaray.
The offenders fled the scene, with some discarding the weapons they had been carrying, including knives. These were forensically linked back to a number of the defendants.
Out of the six, five left the country days after the killing in a bid to try and evade capture.
Officers worked quickly to track down the defendants and arrest them, travelling to Scotland to apprehend two of the ringleaders – Mansaray and Said - and arranging an extradition for one who fled to Spain. Two others travelled to Morrocco, later arrested when they returned to the UK.
The jury could not reach a verdict on another man and boy charged with murder and a retrial will be held in 2026.