Two young men who chased a stranger into a Tube station and stabbed him to death with a zombie knife in front of horrified commuters are facing a life sentence.
Milumo Pedrinho and Kevin Nguyen, both 21, have been convicted of murdering 33-year-old Ervin Baraku, who died after being attacked at Seven Sisters Underground station in north London, on the morning of July 23 last year.
Jurors were shown footage of the pair following their victim down the steps before Pedrinho pulled out a foot-long blade with a serrated edge and plunged it into Mr Baraku’s chest.
Pedrinho previously pleaded guilty to murder and Nguyen was found guilty of the same charge following a two-week trial at Inner London Crown Court. He had denied murder and manslaughter.
Michael Williams, prosecuting, told jurors during Nguyen’s trial: ‘On July 23 last year, the defendant encountered Ervin Baraku on the pavement on Seven Sisters Road.
‘Mr Baraku left, repeatedly looking back over his shoulder. The defendant immediately went to the home address of Mr Pedrinho, depositing his puppy and setting off again with Mr Pedrinho armed with a zombie knife.
‘Within 12 minutes, Ervin Baraku would be chased into the Underground by these two men and stabbed to the chest with the knife.’
Mr Williams told jurors the murder was not ‘committed by Mr Pedrinho in isolation’ but was carried out ‘with the support and encouragement’ of Nguyen.
The court heard Nguyen spotted Mr Baraku while out walking with a short while before the stabbing.
After crossing the road and approaching him, the pair spent around 19 seconds speaking before going their separate ways.
Mr Williams said only two people know what was said between them – Mr Baraku, who was dead within minutes of the conversation, and Nguyen, who gave no comment to police and declined to give evidence in his defence.
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‘We simply do not know what the motive is, or the reason Mr Baraku was murdered,’ he said.
But he added: ‘We say you can safely infer that that interaction with the defendant was intrinsic to Mr Baraku’s murder some 10 minutes later.’
Nguyen went straight to Pedrinho’s home nearby, with the pair quickly setting off again ‘intent on violence’.
‘We know that Mr Pedrinho had a large knife, and we know that the defendant is no stranger to possessing dangerous weapons himself,’ Mr Williams added.
Jurors heard Nguyen has two previous convictions for having a knife, in relation to a machete when he was 16 and a Rambo-style knife three years later.
Mr Williams said of Nguyen: ‘This is an individual accustomed to possessing knives in public, and there would undoubtedly have been a discussion about the weapon to be taken and who would have it.’
Further CCTV footage shows the pair walking through the streets with their hoods up.
Jurors were told Pedrinho’s right hand stays in his pocket where the knife is hidden, ‘ready to go at a moment’s notice’.
The stabbing itself was caught on CCTV footage from inside the station.
It shows Mr Baraku falling to the ground where he looks up at Pedrinho chasing behind him with his arms outspread.
The court heard witnesses screamed as he pulled out the zombie knife and stabbed Mr Baraku in the chest.
Nguyen followed them down the stairs seconds after the fatal blow was struck and quickly fled with the knifeman.
His barrister Naeem Mian KC told jurors the prosecution was ‘overreaching’, adding there was ‘no evidence’ he knew his friend was carrying a knife.
He said the two previous convictions for carrying blades makes him stupid, but not a murderer.
However, Mr Williams said: ‘He knew what was going to happen, what was intended, and this was part of the plan.’
Detective Superintendent Sam Blackburn said: ‘This was an absolutely senseless and tragic attack that resulted in a man losing his life.
‘There is absolutely no place for violence on the railway network, so I am glad to see both Nguyen and Pedrinho will be put behind bars for their part in this brutal murder.
‘While no prison sentence can ever make up for the loss of a loved one, I hope justice being served can bring Ervin’s family some peace after this horrific ordeal.’
The killers, both of Tottenham, will be sentenced later.
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