UK-Based Nigerian, Lekan Akinsoji, Convicted of 2017 Murder in East London

A UK-based Nigerian, Lekan Akinsoji, has been convicted of the 2017 murder of Ahmed Deen-Jah in East London after an eight-year investigation that relied on new forensic and digital evidence.

Akinsoji, 27, and his accomplice, Sundjata Keita, also 27, were found guilty on Thursday at the Old Bailey, the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales. Both men are scheduled to be sentenced on October 24.

According to the Metropolitan Police, Deen-Jah, 21, was fatally stabbed outside a convenience store in Custom House, Newham, in what detectives described as a “senseless, targeted attack.” The pair were part of a gang feud and were driving a stolen car when they confronted the victim, who was not linked to any rival group.

Detective Superintendent Kelly Allen, who led the investigation, said the conviction delivered long-overdue justice for the victim’s family.

“Eight years on from Ahmed’s vicious murder, his family finally have the justice they deserve,” Allen stated. “Akinsoji and Keita thought they had escaped accountability, but advances in forensic science and determined detective work caught up with them.”

The investigation was reopened in 2023 following a detailed case review. New DNA evidence recovered from a knife sheath near the scene and mobile phone data linking Keita to the getaway car placed both men at the crime location. The vehicle was later found burned in Epping Forest, an attempt police believe was meant to destroy evidence.

Akinsoji and Keita were previously arrested in 2017 but released for lack of evidence. Their re-arrest and eventual conviction highlight how renewed investigative methods and forensic breakthroughs can bring closure to long-unsolved crimes.

The verdict marks the end of an eight-year pursuit of justice for Ahmed Deen-Jah’s family, underscoring the Metropolitan Police’s commitment to revisiting cold cases through modern investigative tools.