Two men jailed with murder of Ricardo Fuller in Ilford

Ricardo Fuller, 24, attended a friend’s birthday inside the former Discoteca No Problem club at Ilford High Road on March 7, 2020, before he was brutally attacked and killed.

Emanuel Tamwesegire, of Wyemead Crescent, Chingford, and Edmund Tucker, of Vincent Road in Dagenham, were sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years following a hearing at the Old Bailey on Thursday (November 9).

The men, 31 and 32 respectively, were part of a gang of five who were involved with the murder.

A third man, Jarmaine Ahenkorah, 30, of Cumberland Road, Plaistow, was convicted of manslaughter at the same trial and will be sentenced on 22 November at the same court.

All five members of the gang left the country before officers could arrest them and investigators worked closely with the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Interpol to locate them.

Two other men, Ahmed Sesay and Abubaker Tarawally, who were 27 and 22 at the time of the killing, are still at large having fled abroad and are currently wanted in connection with the murder.

Following the sentencing, Ricardo’s mother said: “Through your selfish actions, this has caused, not only myself and my family, but also my friends and a whole community severe emotional and endless heartache – we have all felt from the loss of my son.

“Did you ever stop to think that this is somebody’s son? Did you ever stop to think this is someone’s brother, nephew, cousin, grandson and friend?

“Ricardo was such a kind warm hearted soul. I wish to thank the Jury, barrister, police team and the Judge for bringing justice for Ricardo.

“The 7th March 2020 is a date we will never forget.”

Discoteca No Problem (Image: Street View)

The three defendants and Tarawally made their way in two cars to Discoteca No Problem on the day of the murder and went into the club to confront Ricardo on the dance floor.

Just five minutes after they were admitted inside, staff asked the men to leave.

The group stayed near the club and a short while later Ricardo left the club and was confronted by the group in the middle of the road.

He was chased up and down the road as he tried to escape his attackers, with CCTV showing the men striking out and lunging at Ricardo during the chase.

Eventually Ricardo was stabbed three times, two to his back and a third to his neck which severed his artery.

The gang fled the scene and Ricardo was able to make his way back to the club where he collapsed on the dance floor. Despite the efforts of paramedics and hospital staff, he died later that morning.

The cars the gang had used were forensically examined and Ricardo’s blood was found on a door recess and Tarwally’s DNA was found on items in the same car.

However, by the time the suspects were identified they already left the country and the Crown Prosecution Service authorised murder charges in April 2020 against the five men in their absence.

Three of the suspects eventually returned to the United Kingdom.

Detective Chief Inspector Kelly Allen, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: “The sentence handed down to Tamwesegire and Tucker reflects the seriousness of this offence. This was a horrendous crime with Ricardo being ruthlessly pursued prior to being fatally stabbed.

“Two suspects for Mr Fuller’s murder remain at large. Both have fled abroad but my team are working tirelessly, with support from Interpol and the NCA, to find these men and bring them back to the UK.

“In such cases, we really need information from the public. We know that these men will still be in contact with family and friends in the UK. There are people in the very community where Ricardo was killed who will know where those responsible are hiding.

“They cannot hide forever and I would urge anyone with information, however insignificant they think it may be, to get in touch with us.”

Anyone with any information about the location of the two outstanding suspects is asked to call police on 020 8345 1570, quoting Operation Sandside.”