A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of Okechukwu Iweha, 46, near the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London. Devon Brown, 30, carried out the unprovoked attack using a machete on April 7, 2022. He has been given a minimum term of 26 years before being eligible for parole.
During the sentencing at the Old Bailey, Judge Anuja Dhir KC highlighted Brown’s motive for the murder, stating he sought revenge against an individual he mistakenly believed had stolen his bicycle and £10,000 in cash. The judge described Brown’s actions as tragic and misguided, noting that Iweha was entirely innocent of the accusations.
Brown was accompanied by 29-year-old Leandro Kaienga during the attack. Video footage presented to the jury showed Kaienga kicking away Iweha’s shoe and later retrieving his own hat from the middle of the road after the stabbing. Following the incident, both men disposed of their bloodied clothing and the weapon in a nearby bin before attempting to destroy the evidence.
On the day of the attack, Brown concealed a large machete within his clothing. He confronted Iweha, delivering multiple strikes that ultimately resulted in Iweha’s death on the street. A post-mortem examination confirmed that the cause of death was a stab wound to the chest.
Victim’s Family Reacts to Sentencing
In an emotional victim impact statement, Ojiugo Mukasa, Iweha’s sister, expressed the family’s profound grief and anger. She described the incident as a “senseless act” that took the life of someone they deeply loved. Mukasa conveyed the lasting trauma inflicted on her family, stating, “We lost our only brother, a child lost her father, our mother lost a son.”
Mukasa directly addressed Brown and Kaienga, questioning the motivations behind their actions. She stated, “You have devastated a life and broken a family for what? What has been gained?” Furthermore, she accused the defendants of tarnishing her brother’s memory by portraying him as an aggressor, delaying their acceptance of responsibility for the crime.
The court also reviewed footage showing Brown cornering Iweha on Worchester Avenue after believing he had spotted him riding a stolen bike. Following the attack, Brown and Kaienga left Iweha to die alone, making no attempt to assist him or call for medical help.
Judge Dhir remarked on the severity of their actions, emphasizing their failure to aid Iweha in his time of need. Both men were found guilty of perverting the course of justice for their attempts to conceal the crime.
Arrest and Legal Proceedings
Iweha’s body was discovered by a passing Uber driver. Following the murder, Brown fled to the United States but was apprehended by the Metropolitan Police in Dallas, Texas, in January 2023. He was extradited back to the UK to face charges.
In addition to the life sentence for murder, Brown received concurrent sentences of 18 weeks for perverting the course of public justice and 16 months for knife possession. Kaienga was sentenced to 18 weeks for perverting the course of public justice and 23 weeks for possessing a knife blade, though he was released after serving his time on remand.
This tragic case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of violence and the importance of accountability in the pursuit of justice.
