In a chilling reminder of the lethal consequences of greed and violence, a gang of robbers has been convicted for the murder of Emmanuel Odunlami, who was fatally stabbed for what turned out to be a fake designer watch. The tragic incident occurred near St Paul’s Cathedral in London on May 1 last year, marking a horrific end to what should have been a celebratory occasion for the victim.

Emmanuel Odunlami, 32, a music manager, was celebrating his birthday at an exclusive event in the City of London when he was targeted for his Patek Philippe Nautilus watch. The watch, believed to be worth between £90,000 and £300,000, caught the attention of Kavindu Hettiarachichi, a member of the event’s security team. Hettiarachichi tipped off a team of robbers about Mr. Odunlami’s watch.

After Mr Odunlami left Haz restaurant near St Paul’s Cathedral, he was attacked by the gang. Jordell Menzies, 27, was identified as the assailant who stabbed Mr Odunlami before the group fled in a Mercedes car, taking the watch with them. It was later revealed in court that the watch was likely a counterfeit, a tragic and grim irony in the senseless loss of life.

Menzies was found guilty of murder at his retrial, while his co-defendants, Louis Vandrose, 28, and Quincy Ffrench, 28, admitted to robbery but denied murder.

Earlier this year, Vandrose and Ffrench were found guilty of manslaughter, a charge Menzies had admitted to. Hettiarachichi, 31, pleaded guilty to theft and was convicted of robbery and manslaughter. Another accomplice, Antonios Kfoury, 22, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice.

The court heard how Mr Odunlami, known to friends as Jay, was a respected figure in the music industry and a father. On the day of the attack, he had driven to the event in his grey hatchback Mercedes, wearing a Dior jacket and carrying a Goyard bag, alongside friends who sported Rolex watches.

The brutal attack was captured on camera outside Haz bar, with Hettiarachichi seen filming Mr. Odunlami and coordinating the ambush. During the assault, Mr. Odunlami was knocked to the ground and kicked by the defendants. Ffrench was heard saying “got it” as he took the watch from the victim, who was left with a fatal chest wound.

Following the attack, the culprits changed clothes in Bloomsbury before separating. The discovery of counterfeit high-value watches at Hettiarachichi’s home suggested his knowledge of and interest in such items. Kfoury tried to conceal his involvement in the event’s security arrangement and lied to the police after the murder.

Detective Chief Inspector Edelle Michaels from the City of London Police major crime team condemned the murder as “callous and coordinated,” lamenting the loss of a young father and the devastation left in the wake of this crime. She emphasized the severity of knife crime and the determination of law enforcement to bring perpetrators to justice.