Teen killed in gang violence

A 17 year old, who we can't legally name because of his age, has been found guilty of the murder of another teen in east London

17 year old Bubacar Jabbie Dukureh was walking alone back to his home in Walthamstow in October 2020 when he was fatally stabbed and died in his front garden.

The court heard he was killed as part of gang rivalry and was attacked by a group of five teenagers. Four others have already been convicted of murder.

Following an earlier trial, Samuel Bartley, 19, Jamal Dakissaga-Benitez, 19, Alfie Ferguson, 19, and Kaiyan Decordova, 20, were found guilty of murder.

Today a jury deliberated for more than 25 hours and reached its guilty verdict by a majority of 10 to one.

The defendant, who was 15 at the time, was not part of the earlier trial because he was abroad and only returned to the UK a week before it started.

Mr Dawes had told jurors: "It is the prosecution case that the attacking group were on a ride-out to an area controlled by rival gangs. They carefully prepared for this ride-out in advance."

The attackers were associated with the Higham Hill or Priory Court Boys gang which was in rivalry with neighbouring gangs called Drive Marlowe, and St James or the Mali Boys.

"It is the Crown's case Buba had the appearance for them of a Mali Boy and that was sufficient to get him killed," the prosecutor said.

Jurors were played a video clip set to a drill rap which was found on the phone belonging to the defendant Ferguson and focused on the victim's address.

Mr Dawes said the video appeared to be "glorifying" the murder and was intended to be uploaded to the internet.

He told jurors: "The trip was a carefully planned ride-out to invade a rival gang territory to provoke and if necessary confront rivals."

The defendant was remanded into custody to be sentenced on a later date to be fixed.

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