Seven deny Anthony Ogazi murder

News

Seven deny Anthony Ogazi murder

Friday, 16 January 2009

Victim Anthony Ogazi

A GANG of masked robbers kicked and stabbed a music student to death in a botched bid to steal cannabis from him, a court has heard.

The Old Bailey was told that Anthony Ogazi, 21, screamed “save me” and “I ain’t got nothing” as seven hooded youths kicked him senseless as he lay on the lawn of a communal garden.

Horrified neighbours in a block of flats looked on from their windows as the killers fled, leaving Anthony bleeding to death from a seven-inch stab wound to his thigh.

Paramedics were called, but he bled to death from a punctured artery.

Peter Reis-Relvas, 20, of Lockwood House, Kennington, Aaron Kendall, 21, of Bedwell House, Stockwell Park, Demetre Fogo, 18, of Purser House, Brixton and Sebastian Garcia-Atehortua, also 18, of Hathway House, Southwark, deny murder.

Two 17-year-olds and a 16-year-old, all from South London, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also deny murder.

Prosecutor Peter Kyte QC told the court on Wednesday that the gang had plotted to rob Anthony and his friend Richard Barry, who was a small-time cannabis dealer, at a flat in Olney Road, Walworth on May 7 last year.

Mr Kyte said: “Three of the defendants had been at Richard Barry’s flat, pretending to be waiting to purchase drugs.

“In fact they had agreed beforehand to rob Mr Barry.”

The court heard that Anthony, who had earlier agreed to help his friend by delivering the cannabis, was set upon when he arrived at the flat at around 2am the next day.

Alleged ringleader Reis-Relvas, Garcia and one of the 17-year-olds, were already inside with Barry, while the other four defendants waited in the communal garden, it was claimed.

The court heard that Anthony knocked on Richard’s bedroom window and threw in the drugs.

The three defendants inside then joined their accomplices outside and all seven attacked Anthony.

Mr Kyte said: “They were seen kicking and punching him.

"The kicks were fast, they were crazy, they were just kicking and kicking and kicking, and some of the assailants were leaning over and getting the punches in.”

Jurors were told that all the defendants except one 17-year-old have admitted conspiring to rob Richard, while Reis-Relvas and Fogo admit conspiring to rob Anthony, a charge the other five deny.

The trial continues.

Email: newsdesk@slp.co.uk