Three men, identified as Joshua Oladele, Micah Hines, and Ali Alamiri, received life sentences for the murder of 25-year-old Hamza Iqbal in London.
Hamza was fatally stabbed 23 times in a brutal attack that occurred on September 24, 2023, and was described as an act of revenge. According to reports, the trio ambushed the victim while he was with friends, using machetes.
Their actions were allegedly in retaliation for the earlier stabbing of 28-year-old Dontae Smicle, which took place 11 days prior.
On Wednesday, Snaresbrook Crown Court handed life sentences to the three men involved in the killing, noting that the mastermind behind the attack, Smicle, has fled the country.
Oladele was given a minimum term of 28 years, Hines received 25 years, and Alamiri was sentenced to 24 years in prison.
Hamza’s grieving family remembered him as a dedicated family man and a passionate Arsenal supporter, who was on his way to watch a match before his tragic death.
“Hamza was football crazy. He might not have been the best player, but his love for Arsenal was unmatched,” they declared.
The court revealed that the attack was rooted in gang rivalry.
Smicle, convinced that Hamza’s group was involved in an earlier attack on him, spotted them and called Oladele, known to have been involved in drug running since age 13, to seek revenge.
Witnesses saw the trio, disguised in hoodies and balaclavas, psyching each other up before launching their violent assault.
As Hamza and his friends tried to escape, Oladele pursued him, delivering repeated stabs even after he collapsed on the ground. Hines joined in to inflict further injuries.
Judge Rosa Dean, Honorary Recorder of Redbridge, called the crime a “punishment killing” and expressed sorrow for the fear Hamza must have experienced in his final moments.
Judge Dean rejected the attackers’ defense that they merely intended to frighten Hamza’s group on Smicle’s orders.
“None of you have shown any remorse during the trial. Everything you’ve dotne has been to try to save yourselves and downplay your responsibility.
“While the plan may have been Smicle’s, you were all ready and willing to carry it out,” She stated.