Dagenham man convicted of ‘brutal and vicious’ murder
Ronnie Atuqiya and Chudi Hengari-Ajufo - Credit: Archant
A Dagenham man has been convicted of murder after he and a friend stalked a teenager along a street before stabbing him in the back.
Ronnie Atuqiya, of Second Avenue, and Chudi Hengari-Ajufo, of no fixed address, were today found guilty of murdering 18-year-old David Maxwell.
The Old Bailey heard that David was walking with a friend in Southwark on the afternoon of October 31 last year when he was approached by two men from behind.
One pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the back and shoulder before running off in the opposite direction.
Despite the best efforts of medics and members of the public, David was pronounced dead at the scene around 45 minutes later.
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Several witnesses to the attack identified the man holding the weapon as having the street name of Billz.
He was quickly identified as being 20-year-old Atuqiya and was arrested at his home on November 3.
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Hengari-Ajufo, 18, was arrested 10 days later and both were charged with murder.
Det Insp Nathan Eason, who investigated the killing, described it as “a brutal and vicious attack”.
He said: “Atuqiya and Hengari-Ajufo stalked David and his friend through the local area before striking.
“Atuqiya was carrying at least one knife - he and his associate clearly intended to cause David very serious harm that day.
“It remains unclear what the motive for this attack was but I am pleased at today’s convictions.”
Atuqiya and Hengari-Ajufo will be sentenced on Friday, July 3.
