Teens guilty of murdering Mahad Mohammed (From Wandsworth Guardian)

Teenagers found guilty of murdering Mahad Mohammed

5:25pm Friday 15th June 2012 in News By Alexandra Rucki

Two teenagers have been found guilty of murdering a man over an alleged botched drugs transaction.

Jermaine Sawyers, 19, of no fixed address and Cori Lindsey, 18, also of no fixed address were found guilty today of murdering Mahad Mohammed, in the Winstanley Estate two years ago.

Omar Harrison, 19, of Kenmore Road, Harrow, was also convicted of manslaughter.

During their trial the Old Bailey heard Mr Mohammed, 20, was stabbed by a group of men in Wye Street, Battersea, in the early hours of the morning on July 22, 2010.

A post mortem examination found he suffered four stab wounds to his back, hip, chest and neck.

The jury heard people living in the estate were woken up by the sounds of shouting and Mahad's cries in Somalian for help.

Neighbours found him lying in a pool of his own blood as his attackers ran away.

On the night of his death Mr Mohammed had been to a bar in Streatham with his brother and they stopped at a convenience store to buy cigarettes on their way home.

Sawyers was outside the shop and began a discussion with Mr Mohammed.

The pair exchanged telephone numbers so they could meet later in the evening.

Mr Mohammed dropped his brother at home then drove his Audi to the Winstanley Estate, where a short time later he was stabbed and a wad of cash was found on his body.

A murder investigation was launched by detectives from the Met's Homicide and Serious Crime Command, who identified the culprits through CCTV footage.

Blood stained clothing worn by Sawyers and Harrison was found by police after they searched houses linked to the defendants.

A jury found the teens guilty after deliberating for four days.

Detective Inspector Dave Reid, of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command, said: "Mahad Mohammed was viciously assaulted and murdered by a group of men that included Sawyers, Harrison and Lindsey. "Whatever the reason for his meeting with Sawyers that evening, Mahad was outnumbered and brutally attacked without any opportunity to defend himself or get away."

All three men will be sentenced at the Old Bailey at a later date.