Two men who went to a pub for a pint minutes after stabbing another man to death have been found guilty of murder.
Rijkaard Siafa, 22, was stabbed at least 13 times after being chased into an alleyway in Croydon, south London, by David Walcott, 35, Rammon Mali, 33, and a third suspect, the Old Bailey heard.
The defendants and Mr Siafa crossed paths at the junction of Surrey Street and Fellmongers Yard shortly before 6pm on 12 April last year, as stallholders at the nearby Surrey Street fruit and vegetable market were packing up for the day.
CCTV showed that Mr Siafa turned back and ran into the yard, as the defendants reached into the waistband of their trousers and chased him, jurors heard.
About 20 seconds later, they emerged from the yard and Mr Siafa had been fatally stabbed.
The defendants and the third man then headed to a pub and bought three pints of Guinness with a £20 note, prosecutor Anthony Orchard KC had said.
Shortly afterwards they got up and left without finishing their drinks after they were asked to remove their hats under house rules, the court heard.
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‘I didn’t kill nobody’
When Walcott was later arrested in southwest London, he told police: “This is madness. How am I getting nicked for murder bro? You ain’t even got the right person,” adding: “I’m not a murderer bro, I didn’t kill nobody.”
Mali left the country four days after the killing and was arrested at Gatwick Airport on his return last May.
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The third suspect, Jordan Vincent, remains wanted for Mr Siafa’s murder and detectives have offered a reward of up to £10,000 for information that leads to his arrest and charge.
Walcott, of Norbury, south London, and Mali, of Croydon, had denied being involved in the stabbing but were found guilty of murder on Wednesday. Walcott was also convicted of having an article with a blade or point.
The defendants were remanded into custody to be sentenced at the Old Bailey at a later date.
Judge praises victim’s family
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After the guilty verdicts, Judge Anuja Dhir KC addressed Mr Siafa’s family in court, acknowledging their loss and the “horrible situation” in which they found themselves, seeing CCTV footage surrounding his death.
She said “it is quite brave to watch it”, adding: “I hope this trial brings some form of closure to those who are in court before me today.”
