Three men—Joshua Oladele, believed to be Nigerian, Micah Hines, and Ali Alamiri—have been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of 25-year-old Hamza Iqbal in London, UK, according to multiple reports.
Hamza was reportedly stabbed 23 times in what authorities described as a revenge attack.
The fatal incident occurred on September 24, 2023, when the victim, who was with friends, was ambushed by the trio armed with machetes.
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The attackers were allegedly acting on behalf of 28-year-old Dontae Smicle, who had been stabbed 11 days earlier.
Delivering the verdict on Wednesday, Snaresbrook Crown Court revealed that Smicle, believed to be the mastermind behind the attack, has since fled the country.
The court then sentenced the three men to life imprisonment: Oladele received a minimum term of 28 years, Hines 25 years, and Alamiri 24 years.
Hamza’s devastated family described him as a devoted family man who was on his way to watch an Arsenal game before his tragic death.
“Hamza was football crazy. He might not have been the best player, but his love for Arsenal was unmatched,” they added
The court heard that the brutal attack stemmed from an ongoing gang rivalry.
Smicle convinced that Hamza’s group was behind an earlier assault on him, spotted them that evening and called Oladele—allegedly involved in drug running since the age of 13—to exact revenge.
The three men, dressed in hoodies and balaclavas, were seen by a witness psyching each other up before launching their deadly assault.
As Hamza and his friends attempted to escape, Oladele chased him down, repeatedly stabbing him even as he lay defenseless on the ground. Hines then joined in, inflicting additional wounds.
Judge Rosa Dean, Honorary Recorder of Redbridge, described the attack as a “punishment killing,” expressing sorrow for the terror Hamza must have felt in his final moments. She rejected the attackers’ claims that they only intended to scare Hamza’s group on Smicle’s orders.
“None of you have shown any remorse during the trial. Everything you’ve done has been an effort to save yourselves and downplay your responsibility,” Judge Dean remarked. “While the plan may have been Smicle’s, you were all ready and willing to carry it out.”
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