Great Yarmouth man sentenced to life for 'revenge' murder
Junior Suleimane stabbed Felizardo Jose Vieira-Balde last February
A man's been given a life sentence for stabbing another man to death in Great Yarmouth last year.
21 year-old Junior Suleimane killed 23 year-old Felizardo Vieira-Balde in what police are calling a revenge attack.
Suleimane, of Market Place, appeared at Norwich Crown Court yesterday where a jury found him guilty of murder. He's been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 23 years.
Suleimane's uncle, 44 year-old Jaimes Santos, of Nelson Road South and Vitor Silva, 22 of Crossway Terrace, Loddon, were also jailed after pleading guilty to assisting an offender. Santos was sentenced to two years and seven months. Silva was sentenced to two years.
Police were called on Wednesday 8 February 2023 at 12.43pm when a member of the public reported that Vieira-Balde was lying in an alleyway off Wellington Road in Great Yarmouth. A murder investigation was launched after the cause of death was confirmed to be a stab wound to the chest.
During the trial, the court heard how Suleimane blamed Vieira-Balde for a previous altercation in which Suleimane was injured.
CCTV footage shows Suleimane going into a shop on St Peter's Road with Santos before to the stabbing.
Suleimane spotted Vieira-Balde as he left the shop. Suleimane is then seen on CCTV taking a large knife out of his bag, approaching Vieira-Balde, and stabbing him once in the chest.
Both Suleimane and Santos fled the scene.
The pair were tracked across the country, initially fleeing to Loddon where Vitor Silva helped them travel to a house in Cambridge. Police tracked them to London and then Leeds City Bus Station where they were arrested on a bus.
After sentencing, Norfolk Police's Detective Inspector Dave McCormack, who led the murder investigation, said:
“Suleimane arrived at the scene of the crime prepared to commit the most serious act of violence. Felizardo was a young man with a bright future loved by his family and community. His family have shown great resilience while waiting for the sentencing result today.
"I again offer my deepest condolences to them and friends for their loss.
“Suleimane and his uncle Jaimes Santos aided by a friend Vitor Silva moved across the country intent on evading capture in full knowledge of the crime they had committed.
"Fast paced police enquiries identified their location at several points in several counties. Investigators worked with specialist officers in several different police areas providing extremely short notice to provide an armed response, until they were eventually apprehended on a bus intent on travelling to the north of the country.”