Music Manager Stabbed and Killed for Fake £300,000 Watch
A manager in the music industry was brutally murdered during a botched robbery after leaving a restaurant while wearing a fake Patek Philippe Nautilus watch that the assailants believed to be authentic.
According to the prosecution at the Old Bailey trial, a security guard named Kavindu Hettiarachchi spotted the up to £300,000 watch and tipped off his accomplices, who then tracked down the victim, Emmanuel Odunlami.
Before stealing the watch, they attacked and beat him, causing him to be stabbed in the heart.
Quincy Ffrench, Jordell Menzies, and Louis Vandrose have admitted to the robbery but denied the murder charge, while Menzies has confessed to manslaughter.
Hettiarachchi, the security guard who allegedly tipped off his accomplices, pleaded not guilty to manslaughter.
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In the meantime, Antonios Kfoury, another of Hettiarachchi’s colleagues, has been charged with perverting justice for lying to the police to protect Hettiarachchi.
The crime, which occurred in London City, shocked the public, especially in the music industry, where Odunlami was a respected figure.
His murder has highlighted the dangers of wearing expensive items, even if they are counterfeit, in public.
The case has also illuminated the potential dangers of employing security guards who are involved in criminal activity.
The trial is anticipated to shed light on the events leading up to the crime and establish the accused’s guilt or innocence.
The prosecution contends that the assailants planned the robbery and intended to harm the victim, whereas the defense contends that the violence was not premeditated and that the victim’s death was accidental.
Regardless of the outcome, this case serves as a reminder that even the smallest criminal act can have catastrophic repercussions.
