Mohammed Nur, 34 Bond Way, SW8 was sentenced to life with a minimum of 32 years on Thursday, 23 May. 

He had earlier admitted to Johanita’s murder, possession of an offensive weapon and possession of a pointed / bladed article at a hearing at the Old Bailey on 17 November 2023. 

On Monday, 13 May he was found guilty of three counts of unlawful wounding following a trial at the same court – these offences related to three assaults carried out in the space of five minutes in the Brixton area on 29 April 2023, two days before he attacked Johanita.

In a statement read out to the court, Johanita’s father said: 

“Johanita passing, so violently, has left a big hole in our lives and a massive hole in our hearts. It wasn’t her time to go.

“There are parts of your heart you could never imagine could feel so much pain unless you go through the loss we have gone through. It is not possible to fully explain how much this has impacted our family and all of us individually. Though we will remember her as the beautiful, caring, funny and bubbly daughter, sister and friend she was, her murder and death will always be one of the hardest realities we will have to live with. We are the ones with the life sentence now.”

An investigation was underway by police after three people had been attacked in and around the Acre Lane area of Brixton on Saturday, 29 April. The attacks took place between 11.25pm and 11.29pm. On each occasion, Nur walked up to his victim and slashed their cheek with a sharp implement before walking off. 

On Monday, 1 May Nur attacked and killed Johanita as she walked in Stockwell Park Walk, SW9.

After Nur was arrested by officers following a stop and search in Brixton Hill in the early hours of Tuesday 2 May, he was interviewed by police about all four offences. He refused to answer any questions put to him by the police.

Detectives had already recovered the weapon used in the attack on Johanita after it had been discarded as Nur had fled the scene. Forensic examination revealed traces of Johanita’s blood on it, alongside Nur’s DNA on a piece of fabric used to hold the weapon together.

When Nur was arrested, he was found to be wearing distinctive clothing that matched the suspect captured in CCTV on the night of 29 April attacks, and also the man seen to attack Johanita. Investigating officers trawled numerous hours of CCTV footage to build a timeline of Nur’s movements, demonstrating his behaviours in the lead-up to and after the attacks.

Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Webb, the senior investigating officer who led the investigation into Nur, said: 

“Mohammed Nur has been jailed for four violent offences, carried out at random in terrifying circumstances. I realise nothing can alleviate the pain and suffering that Johanita’s family continue to endure, but I hope they – and the three other people Nur attacked and injured – can take some comfort from the fact he has been convicted and will spend a lengthy period of time in prison.

“Following these incidents, extra officers were drafted into the Brixton area to provide reassurance to the local community and support the investigation. It was as a result of a stop and search carried out by one of these teams that Nur was arrested. He was found in possession of a makeshift weapon and it can only be presumed he was intent on carrying out further violence.

“The proactive work of these officers stopped Nur in his tracks and he has now been held to account for his actions.”