Crime

Nigerian-born music manager, Emmanuel Odunlami, murdered by robbers in UK over fake £300k watch

Published

1 year ago

March 9, 2023 8:05 am

BodexNG

A Nigerian-born music manager identified as Emmanuel Odunlami has been stabbed to death by robbers in the UK over what is believed to be a fake designer watch worth up to £300,000.

The Old Bailey, which is the central criminal court of England and Wales, recently heard that Odunlami was ambushed by three robbers after holding a party to celebrate his birthday.

According to Daily Mail, the 32-year-old music manager was attacked after leaving Haz restaurant near St Paul’s Cathedral in London on May 1, 2022.

Odunlami’s attackers were said to have been tipped off by Kavindu Hettiarachchi, a security operator, that he was wearing a Patek Philippe Nautilus watch.

During the court session, Duncan Atkinson KC, the prosecutor, said it is believed that the watch “may have not been genuine”.

He added that the robbers, however, treated the item as though it was genuine.

“Sadly, as it was to turn out, he liked expensive brand watches. At the time when he was fatally attacked, he was wearing a Patek Philippe Nautilus watch,” the prosecutor said.

“If real, such a watch could be worth anything in a range from £90,000 to £300,000.

“It is believed the deceased’s watch may not have been genuine, but was treated as genuine by those who sought to take it.”

Atkinson said Hettiarachchi was “an integral member of the security team”.

The court heard that Hettiarachchi was hired by the events organiser for the private ticketed brunch and afterparty with DJ.

“It was part of his role to protect the safety of those, like Mr Odunlami, who were attending the event. In fact he did the opposite,” he said.

Old Bailey heard that after the event, Hettiarachchi was seen on CCTV calling Louis Vandrose, who is believed to be one of the robbers.

The jurors were told that Vandrose and Jordell Menzies were then driven by Quincy Ffrench in a white Mercedes with altered number plates from north-west London.

“The evidence shows that Ffrench, Vandrose and Menzies were setting off in car with a disguised registration in order to carry out a robbery and that their target for that robbery was at the Haz restaurant where Hettiarachchi was working, and to which by phone he had summoned them,” the prosecutor said.

The security operator was said to have filmed the victim and his “high-value” watch and then appeared to type something into his phone.

“The prosecution case is that he was making those other defendants aware of Mr Odunlami and his watch, in order that they could rob him of that apparently very valuable item,” Atkinson said.

“In common sense, those planning the robbery of Mr Odunlami of what appeared to be a very valuable watch would not have expected him just to surrender.

“Rather, he needed to be compelled to do so, and to that end one of those travelling in Mr Ffench’s Mercedes was armed with a knife.

“When they were ready, the defendants, Ffrench, Vandrose, and Menzies got out of the car and ran towards Mr Odunlami.

“On seeing the robbers closing in on him, Mr Odunlami tried to run, but he was caught by Menzies and then taken to the ground by the combination of Menzies and by Vandrose.

“Once Mr Odunlami was on the ground, all three defendants attacked him, shod feet were used as weapons to kick the defenceless man on the ground.

“During the course of that attack, one of the robbers, identifiable as Ffrench, bent down and took the object of this exercise, Mr Odunlami’s Patek Phillippe Nautilus watch. As he did so he was heard to say ‘got it’.”

The trio were said to have fled the scene, leaving Odunlami on the floor with a knife wound to the chest.

“It appears from the CCTV that he was stabbed before any demand was made of him, or any other form of attempt to take his watch from him,” the prosecutor said.

The jurors were told that a knife was recovered nearby and linked by scientific analysis to the victim and Menzies.

Menzies, whose DNA was on the attack knife, is charged with murder along with Ffrench and Vandrose while Hettiarachchi is charged with being involved in the robbery and manslaughter.

The defendants have denied the charges against them as the trial continues. The proceeding is estimated to last between four and five weeks.

Crime

U.S. DOJ recommends 3 years imprisonment for Binance founder, Changpeng Zhao

Published

2 days ago

April 25, 2024 8:32 am

BodexNG

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has recommended that the founder and former chief executive of Binance, Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, should spend three years in prison for his role in enabling the crypto exchange to violate federal sanctions and money laundering laws.

The DOJ’s attorneys stated this in a sentencing memo filed in court on Tuesday. The attorneys argued that Zhao should pay $50 million in addition to spending 36 months in prison.

This comes as one of the officials of the crypto trading platform, Tigran Gambaryan, is also facing trial on charges of tax evasion, money laundering, and foreign exchange contravention.

Zhao had pleaded guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act last November. However, his attorneys argued he should serve no jail time, citing the fine he paid and his “extraordinary acceptance of responsibility.” Instead, they suggested he be sentenced to probation, which could include home confinement at his home in Abu Dhabi.

The DOJ in the sentencing memorandum said:

“Given the magnitude of Zhao’s willful violation of U.S. law and its consequences, an above-Guidelines sentence of 36 months is warranted.

That sentence, together with the agreed $50 million fine, is sufficient but not greater than necessary to balance the relevant 18 U.S.C. 3553(a) factors and achieve the goals of sentencing.

“The Court should impose the unlawful-proceeds Guidelines enhancement The Court should impose the two-level enhancement in USSG 2S1.3(b)(1) because a preponderance of the evidence shows that Zhao knew or believed that at least some funds his company processed were proceeds of unlawful activity.”

Much of the filing echoes arguments made by the DOJ when it first announced charges against Binance and Zhao last year, pointing to how the exchange operated within the U.S.

The filing also looked at how the Sentencing Guidelines address Bank Secrecy Act violations, saying they “are not designed to adequately punish either misconduct on this scale or misconduct that harms U.S. national security.”

“The sentence in this case will not just send a message to Zhao but also to the world. Zhao reaped vast rewards for his violation of U.S. law, and the price of that violation must be significant to effectively punish Zhao for his criminal acts and to deter others who are tempted to build fortunes and business empires by breaking U.S. law,” the filing said.

Crime

South Africa police arrests 8 Nigerians for attacking officers during drug raid

Published

7 days ago

April 20, 2024 8:17 am

BodexNG

The South African police have arrested eight Nigerians for allegedly attacking officers during a drug raid.

In a statement issued on Friday, the police said the suspects were arrested in the Northern Cape province.

The police said the suspects also damaged vehicles and other property.

“At the time of the arrest, police were tracing information of one of the Nigerian nationals being in possession of drugs,” the statement reads.

“While conducting this search, a large group of Nigerians attacked police. Police fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.

“One suspect was arrested for illegal possession of drugs, and three suspects were arrested for public violence and detained at Kimberley Police Station.

“During processing, the suspects broke windows at the station. Additional charges of malicious damage to property were added.

“Another group of Nigerians later approached the Police Station and threatened to retaliate.

“The Operational Commander warned the group to disperse.

“However, upon dispersing, the group damaged police vehicles. Another four suspects were arrested for malicious damage to property.”

Koliswa Otola, police commissioner for the province, commended officers for the arrest of the suspects.

Crime

Police arrests driver for cramming 15 children inside car in Lagos

Published

1 week ago

April 19, 2024 4:07 pm

BodexNG

Operatives of the police Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Lagos have arrested a driver for allegedly squeezing 15 children into a Volkswagen Passat car.

In a statement on Friday, Benjamin Hundeyin, the command’s spokesperson, confirmed the suspect’s arrest, adding that the vehicle was plying the Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge around 8 pm on Sunday when it was spotted and reported by concerned citizens.

“Upon intervention, the police noticed that the driver, who had been contracted to transport the children to a beach, had locked four of the children in the car trunk while 11 others were crammed together,” the statement reads.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that one child had collapsed earlier in the day due to similar transportation conditions but recovered after receiving medical attention.

“The children have since been released to their parents unhurt. Suspects would be charged to court.”

Adegoke Fayoade, Lagos police commissioner, commended residents of the state for swiftly reporting suspicious activities to the authorities.

Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others