Shooting accused first treated as witness who helped victim, court told

A salesman accused of involvement in the murder of two party goers outside a nightclub was at first treated as a witness, the Old Bailey heard last week.

Nana Oppong, 30, is said to have pointed out the targets for gunman Michael Smith and then helped him flee the scene in a BMW.

Jurors have heard how Smith, 27, was himself shot four times after gunning down Patrick Ford, 36, and Eugene Brown, 27, in the early hours of May 29 last year.

Three days later Oppong agreed to be interviewed by police and admitted he had carried Smith into Newham General Hospital.

He told officers how he had celebrated his 30th birthday before heading to an “after party” at the Sugar Lounge in Forest Gate.

Oppong said he was outside the club when he heard gunshots and tried to run to his car - a rented orange Lamborghini.

But then a friend pulled up in a BMW X6 and told him to get in the passenger seat.

They had only driven a short way when a man - Smith - jumped into the back.

Oppong explained: “When I’ve got in the back and looked out the windows, I have just seen everyone running.

“The only person I could see is the guy to the left of the car getting hurt.

“He’s bleeding, he’s just running to get away. I open my back door, he’s just jumped into the car. I realise when he jumped in I seen so much blood, I realised he’s getting shot.

“I’m not the devil, I would not leave him to die.”

Oppong said he only knew Smith “from around” and at parties.

He insisted he had nothing to do with the shooting and added: “I have a party, all my life I have got to remember on that day this thing, it’s like I’m bad luck.

“My party had nothing to do with anything that happened. I ain’t got nothing to hide.”

Two months later Oppong was arrested as a suspect after detectives viewed CCTV from inside and outside the club.

It is claimed that he can be seen dancing with Smith in the Sugar Lounge at around 4.50am.

The violence erupted after Eugene Brown fired four shots into the ceiling.

The prosecution say that Oppong and Smith then left the club shortly before Smith shot Mr Brown and Mr Ford in the street.

Mr Ford died at the scene from a bullet wound to the chest while Mr Brown spent six weeks in hospital before dying from the gun shot wound to the head.

Mr Ford’s friend Kevin Powell, 35, is said to have taken revenge by shooting Mr Smith.

Sugar Lounge licensee Camilla Ghimpu, 26, and barwoman Dashka Stancilas, 30, are said to have disposed of bullet casings from the floor of the club.

Nerissa Harris, 28, is accused of hiding Mr Brown’s gun in the aftermath of the shooting.

Smith, of Beaconsfield Road, Canning Town, and Oppong, of West Road, Stratford, deny two counts of murder and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Oppong denies doing acts to pervert course of justice by providing a false witness statement.

Powell, of Harlesden Road, Willesden, denies attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Harris, of Chingford Road, Chingford, denies possessing a prohibited weapon and perverting the course of justice by concealing the gun belonging to Mr Brown.

Stancilas, of Prestbury Road, Forest Gate, denies two charges of perverting the course of justice and Ghimpu, of Katherine Road, Forest Gate, denies a further count of perverting the course of justice.

The trial continues.