A man has been sentenced to life behind bars for the murder of 22-year-old Badri Issa in Moss Side last year.
22-year-old Raami Mohamed, from Manchester, was found guilty of murder following a two week trial at Manchester Crown Court, and was subsequently sentenced to to life with a minimum term of 18 years last Friday (7 June 2024).
Another man, who has been named as Kevell Blake, was also found guilty of manslaughter, and is to be sentenced at a later date.
It sentencing comes after Badri Issa met up with his friend to go to their regular gym class on Wednesday 25 October 2023, and as they travelled along Princess Road towards Manchester city centre, they noticed a white car driving next to them and trying to get their attention.
Raami Mohamed – who was driving the white vehicle – gestured for Badri’s friend, Omar Jeylaani, to pull over, and both cars turned onto Moss Lane East and parked in the bus layby.
Badri Issa, pictured on the day of his graduation / Credit: GMP (via Family Handout)
According to Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Badri’s friend got out of the car, but was confronted by Mohamed, who appeared agitated and aggressive, and so Badri got out of the car to try and de-escalate the situation, but was stabbed in the process, and as he collapsed, the men then continued a violent assault on Badri’s friend.
The horrific events all played out in broad daylight, GMP revealed – with a number of passers-by and commuters attempting to intervene.
Once emergency services attended the scene, Badri was taken to hospital for further treatment, but sadly, despite the best efforts of everyone involved, he later died as a result of his injuries.
Following Badri’s passing, GMP’s Major Incident Team launched an investigation.
After hours of looking through CCTV enquiries, police were able to build a picture of the suspect’s movements in the days and hours before the attack.
The car that Mohamed and Blake were in was soon located in a car park on Arrow Street in Manchester, and was recovered for the forensic examination, where the blood of the victim was detected near the gear stick.
#JAILED | The killer of Badri Issa has received a life sentence with a minimum term of 18 years.
Raami Mohamed was previously found guilty of murder
Paying tribute, Badri's family said he was 'a friend, a confidant, and a beacon of light'
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) June 7, 2024
A warrant was executed at Mohamed’s last known address, but despite him not being present, police seized evidence linking him to the white car, and leading to him being arrested on Heaton Street in Prestwich later that evening, all before another warrant was executed at the home address of Kevell Blake where police seized crucial items of clothing which were consistent with what was worn in the hours after the attack.
Telecommunications data revealed “extensive contact between the pair in the lead up to the attack”, according to GMP.
“Badri Issa was so young when he lost his life in the most tragic way,” commented Detective Chief Inspector Andy Naismith, from GMP’s Major Incident Team, following Mohamed’s sentencing last week.
“Having just graduated from university, he was on the cusp of starting a new life, a new career, and reaching new milestones, but he paid the ultimate price for trying to de-escalate a situation.
“Since day one, Badri has been at the heart of our investigation, and we have had teams of officers working around the clock to find answers for his family. I know that no outcome will ever lessen the pain his family feel, but I hope that today’s sentencing goes some way to giving his loved ones some comfort knowing that his killers are behind bars.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
More than 100 ‘unsafe’ counterfeit Labubus seized in Oldham
Daisy Jackson
More than 100 counterfeit Labubus and accessories have been seized in Oldham, the council has announced.
The Labubu dolls – a plush collectible with giant smiles and bunny ears – have been seized because they are fake, and unsafe.
The haul of 104 Labubus has been given a street value of between £800 and £1000 – but if they were the real deal, they’d be worth more than three times as much.
The poorly-made figures were being sold for a fraction of the price of a real Labubu, which are manufactured by Chinese company Pop Mart (it’s set to open its second Manchester store in the Trafford Centre next week).
Oldham Council’s Trading Standards team said it seized the counterfeit Labubus from local businesses and found that they were unsafe and poorly made.
Officers raised concerns about the safety of the dolls, which had small parts such as eyes, hands and feet broke off easily, creating a choking hazard.
What a genuine Labubu should look like. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
They were also missing legally required safety marks such as the CE or UKCA labels, and lacked the name and address of a UK supplier, which is another legal requirement.
Councillor Elaine Taylor, Oldham Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Licensing, said: “Oldham Trading Standards carries out regular checks to help keep unsafe products off the shelves. In this case, these counterfeit toys failed safety standards and have now been removed from sale.
“We know it can be tempting to buy toys that look like a bargain, but parents need to be extra careful. Fake toys like these may be cheaper, but they can put children in real danger if they’re not made to strict safety standards.
“If anyone has concerns about toys they’ve purchased, or if they see unsafe products on sale locally, we’d encourage them to get in touch with Trading Standards through the Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133.”
Council publishes list of central Manchester roads set to be resurfaced this summer
Emily Sergeant
A list of roads in Manchester that are set to be resurfaced before the summer is out has been published.
Manchester City Council recently asked residents in the region what their priorities were for their community and what issues they wanted to see tackled – and for many, the answer was the quality of the road surfaces.
Since then, the Council says it has been ‘engaged’ in a long-running programme of improvement works throughout the borough.
Now, with just over a month of the summer season left, it has been confirmed that some vital resurfacing works are due to start over the coming weeks in north and central Manchester, bringing a range of improvements to key district roads along with it.
First up, from Saturday 9 August, Hollinwood Avenue is to be resurfaced.
The Council has published a list of Manchester roads that are set to be resurfaced this summer / Credit: MJ Richardson (via Geograph)
Anticipated to take six weeks to complete, this work will be carried out during weekend closures from 8am-5pm, with the road remaining open during the working week.
The closure area will be between Greengates Roundabout and the Oldham boundary at Owler Lane, and a signed diversion route will be in place while work is carried out, and access for residents will be maintained at all times.
Then, starting from Saturday 16 August, resurfacing works will begin on Moss Lane East, between Alexandra Road and Princess Road.
Work will take place between 7am and 5pm on weekdays, and 8am and 5pm on weekends, and during the works, the road will be completely closed – with a signed diversion route in place and access for residents maintained.
As always, disruption is expected and the public is encouraged to plan ahead / Credit: Mylo Kaye (via Unsplash)
These works are expected to take six weeks to complete, and as with all resurfacing projects, residents should expect some disruption and may need to plan ahead.
The Council is aiming to keep disruption to the public at a minimum, where possible.
“We know how important it is to our residents that key roads are well maintained, which is why were glad to be able to deliver this latest round of improvement works,” commented Councillor Tracey Rawlins, who is the Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment, and Transport at Manchester City Council.
“I’d like to thank people ahead of time for their patience during the course of these works and would advise them to check when closures will be in place and where the diversions are.”
You can find more information on the resurfacing works on the Council website here.