Beckton men to be sentenced for killing

Two Beckton men were part of a knife-wielding gang who stabbed to death a teenager they had chased from a club, an Old Bailey jury decided on Thursday.

Despite their denials Lerone Boye, 26, of Evelyn Dennington Road and Roger Damali, 31, of Macaulay Road, were convicted of murder, along with Dale Williams, 21, from Dagenham and Hugo Nwankwo, 18, from Barking after a trial.

Kelvin Chibueze, 17, was attacked when trouble broke out during a private party at the Arteflex Club, Ilford in the early hours of August 15, 2011.

Despite a stab wound he managed to run from the venue, pursued by a group across the High Road into Ilford Retail Park where he collapsed. He died in hospital later that day of a single stab wound to the heart.

The court heard how the victim had attended the party with a group of friends, arriving at the venue shortly before a group including Williams and Boye turned up having been driven there by Damali.

At around 4am a fight broke out between the victim’s group and another group of males - including Williams and Boye when it is believed that he was stabbed.

The fight sparked a rush of people attempting to flee the venue. Once outside Williams, Boye and Nwankwo and others pursued the teenager’s group into the car park when Kelvin collapsed only to be set upon by the others.

Analysis of CCTV and forensic examinations tied the suspects to both the club and the car park. Phone records also showed that the suspects, although all present inside the club, were in continual contact with each other in the time leading up to the attack on Kelvin, suggesting this was a premeditated attack.

After the case, Detective Sergeant Mark Romain of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command

said: “Kelvin Chibueze was ruthlessly attacked, chased and left to die...the violence used brutally ended a young man’s life and showed scant regard for the safety of others in this busy venue.

The accused will be sentenced in December on a date to be confirmed.