Northampton man found guilty of killing university student
It follows a trial at Northampton Crown Court
A 19-year-old man has been found guilty of the murder of University of Northampton student Kwabena Osei-Poku, previously known as Alfred.
The court heard Melvin Lebaga-Idubor, of Northampton, arrived at a flat on campus with a second man, Ogechi Eke, aged 19, after telling Kwabena, also 19, that they wanted to buy a large quantity of cannabis from him, back in April.
A row then broke out with one witness hearing Lebaga-Idubor say, “This is my strip. What are you doing strutting drugs around here? Our line is here.”
The two then left the flat. Kwabena followed the pair in order to try and get his drugs back but an altercation ensued with Lebaga-Idubor wielding a knife and stabbing Kwabena twice in New South Bridge Road.
Despite the best efforts of paramedics, he died at the scene.
Following the conclusion of the trial, Northamptonshire Police has released a CCTV compilation showing some of the events leading up to the murder of 19-year-old student Kwabena Osei-Poku (indicated by the purple arrow) by Melvin Lebaga-Idubor, also 19 (indicated by the green arrow).
Following the killing, Lebaga-Idubor called on his girlfriend, Zhanae Forbes-Coleman, aged 19, of Northampton, and a friend, Antonio Huian, aged 18, of Northampton, in order to facilitate his escape.
Huian took him to hospital due to “injuries sustained during the altercation with Kwabena”, however the pair left without Lebaga-Idubor receiving any treatment. The clothes he had been wearing during the killing were then burnt in a metal bin in Huian’s back garden.
Forbes-Coleman then arrived with a set of new clothes and documents before arranging transport for Lebaga-Idubor to make a stop at his London address before boarding the Eurostar to Paris.
Though he successfully arrived in the French capital and had plans to travel onwards to Nigeria, he was later persuaded to come home and was arrested.
Both Lebaga-Idubor and Eke were subsequently charged with murder and possession of an offensive weapon.
Huian and Forbes-Coleman were both charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Following a six-week trial at Northampton Crown Court which on Wednesday, November 22nd, Lebaga-Idubor was found guilty of murder and possession of a knife.
Eke was found not guilty of the same charges, and also cleared of a further count of manslaughter.
Forbes-Coleman was found not guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Huian had pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice at an earlier court hearing.
Lebaga-Idubor and Huian will be sentenced in January.