Promise Nkenda stabbing: Defendants claim they have ‘no idea’ why they were arrested
Friends and family paying tribute to stabbing victim Promise Nkenda at a vigil in February. Picture: Ellie Hoskins - Credit: Ellie Hoskins
Two men accused of murdering a teenager in Canning Town told police they had “no idea” why they were arrested, a court has heard.
Promise Nkenda was stabbed to death in Goldwing Close, Canning Town on February 14. Picture: Facebook. - Credit: Archant
Shemar Dawes, 18, of Newland Road, Hornsey and Ishaq Abdille, 18, of Field Road, Forest Gate, said during interviews they had no involvement in the fatal stabbing of Lord Promise Nkenda, known as Promise.
Jurors heard how the 17-year-old. said to be from North Woolwich, was walking through Canning Town on Valentine’s Day when he was mowed down by the driver of a stolen BMW.
They were told how escaped briefly, until four of the five people who were the car caught him in Goldwing Close and he was stabbed 15 times.
Dawes and Abdille, along with Ephraim Idris, 18, of Dovehouse Mead, Barking, Anton Muir, 18, of Bassetts Fields, Epping, and a juvenile who can’t be named for legal reasons, have all denied murder.
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At the Old Bailey today (Wednesday), a court heard police interview transcripts with Dawes and Abdille from when they were arrested, in which they said they had “no idea” why they’d been arrested.
The court was told how on February 16, two days after Promise’s death, detectives found a knife with Promise’s blood on it, next to a pair of cream latex gloves with DNA belonging to Dawes in Leslie Road.
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When questioned in his interview, Dawes said he didn’t know how the DNA was found on those gloves, when he wasn’t in the area at the time.
“I don’t know how the gloves got there,” he said.
“I was not in the area at the time of the incident. I can’t recall where I was on that day because it’s a long time ago. I was advised by my solicitor to say no comment, but I think I should have my say.
“I was not in the area, I don’t know how my DNA got involved with it. I don’t know him from Adam.”
In his interview, which was conducted on June 27 on the day of his arrest, Dawes said he knew Muir from a football group, and Abdille because they used to attend the same school, but had no connection with Promise.
In Abdille’s interview, on February 19 on the day of his arrest, he also denied any association.
In a statement read out by his solicitor, he said: “I was not involved in any carjacking.
“I was not involved in any attack or stabbing. I don’t know or have any association with this person. I didn’t get into a BMW or drive off after that as I was not in this area. I have no idea why I have been arrested for this offence.”
The trial continues.
