25/06/2008

Man Found Guilty Of New Year's Day Murder

A man has been found guilty of the murder of a teenager who was stabbed in the heart outside a nightclub.

Stephen Boachie, 17, from Dagenham, east London, died in hospital after being stabbed twice by Nigerian immigrant Chester Daudu outside The Thatched House in Barking, at 5am on 1 January, 2007.

Daudu, of Corporation Street, was arrested in the Newham area on 13 February 2007 and was later charged with the murder.

The killer was remanded in custody and warned by Judge Martin Stephens that he faced a life sentence and later deportation when he appeared at court again on July 17.

Stephen was the first of three teenage murder victims last year who all went to Kingsford Community School in Beckton, east London.

The others were 14-year-old Paul Erhahon and Adam Regis, 15, although the killings are not believed to be linked.

Police say Mr Boachie, an A-level student, and Daudu had an altercation outside the club in Ripple Road as revellers headed home after the New Year celebrations.

It is understood Daudu initially walked away from Mr Boachie but then returned as he believed the victim "had disrespected him" and stabbed Stephen twice in the upper body, piercing the teenager's heart.

It is reported that Daudu left the scene in a BMW.

Detective Inspector, from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command said: "Daudu's reckless and violent actions resulted in the senseless killing of Stephen Boachie, a 17-year-old boy with his whole life ahead of him.

"Although it is not known why Daudu attacked Stephen, it was clear that he was armed with a blade and his intention to kill was formed in a matter of seconds.

"This verdict reinforces the message that carrying knives does have devastating consequences. Stephen's family have lost a much-loved son and our thoughts are with them today."

Stephen's father, Kwasi Boachie, a security officer, said in a statement read out in court: "It is hard to accept that we brought Stephen over from Ghana to the UK to have a better education and prosperous future, but all that has been dashed by a murderer in this craze of knife carrying gangs."

It is reported that Stephen came to the UK alone in 2001 to continue his education and become an engineer.

He has two brothers still in Ghana - Fosu, 18 and fifteen-year-old Kwaku.

(DS)

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