Man killed for asking robbers to return his ‘blinging’ gold chains, court told

Asadiq Mohamed, 23, was robbed by a group of young males in a park in Edgware, north London, in May 2021.

The Old Bailey has heard how Asadiq Mohamed, 23, was robbed and then stabbed in a park in Edgware, north London (PA) (PA Archive)

A young man was fatally stabbed for asking youths to return his “blinging” rapper-style gold chains, a court has heard.

Asadiq Mohamed, 23, was robbed by a group of young males in a park in Edgware, north London, in May 2021, the Old Bailey was told.

When he tried to recover three chains which had been ripped from his neck, he was punched and kicked to the ground and then fatally stabbed, jurors heard.

It is alleged that Nick Kaneza, then aged 18, delivered the fatal wound immediately after being passed a knife by Emmanuel Pombo, who was 16 at the time.

Asadiq went after the group to try to recover his gold chains. In doing so, he was the subject of a violent assault on the basketball court

Prosecutor Jane Bickerstaff KC

Opening their murder trial on Tuesday, prosecutor Jane Bickerstaff KC said: “This case is about the murder of a young man, Asadiq Mohamed, and the events that led up to that which involved a robbery on him and violent disorder on him.”

Mr Mohamed and a friend had allegedly been “spotted” by youths and followed as they walked through Montrose Park and into Silkstream Park on the afternoon of Monday May 31 2021.

The males had targeted Mr Mohamed with the “sole intention” of robbing him of three gold chains he was wearing around his neck, Ms Bickerstaff said.

They split into two groups and approached in a “pincer” movement before one of them grabbed the chunky jewellery from the victim’s neck, it was claimed.

Afterwards, the youths headed back to the basketball court where they had come from, the court was told.

Ms Bickerstaff told jurors: “Asadiq went after the group to try to recover his gold chains. In doing so, he was the subject of a violent assault on the basketball court.

“He was punched and kicked to the ground and on the ground, and as he managed to get to his feet, one of defendants fatally stabbed him, once to the left of his chest. It pierced his heart and he died.”

She said the alleged killers and three other defendants took part in the “vicious group assault” on Mr Mohamed because he had “the temerity to follow and try to recover his gold chains from them”.

Ms Bickerstaff said: “During the course of that assault, and having deliberately armed himself with a knife, Kaneza delivered the fatal stab wound.

“It is the prosecution case that Mr Pombo is the individual who passed the knife to Mr Kaneza, in order for him to stab the deceased.”

Ms Bickerstaff told jurors that earlier that day, Mr Mohamed and his friend had visited a project supporting people in care and seeking asylum.

While there, the pair had watched films and cooked food before the friend changed into a football kit and set off for Montrose Park, saying he would drop Mr Mohamed at the station.

One of the support workers recalled Mr Mohamed’s chains were “extremely blinging, and chunky like a rapper might wear”, the jury was told.

Later, his distraught friend ran back to the project carrying his friend’s bag and broke down, saying Mr Mohamed had been stabbed, jurors were told.

Kaneza, now 20, from Hemel Hempstead in north-west London, and Pombo, 19, from Edgware, deny murder.

Kaneza, Pombo, Mohamed Yusuf, 21, of Edgware, and a 17-year-old deny violent disorder. Amani Williams, 20, of Edgware has pleaded guilty to the charge.

Pombo, the 17-year-old boy, Tavell Hall, 20, of Hayes, west London, and Williams deny robbery which Yusuf has admitted.

The Old Bailey trial continues.