Killer Sentenced to Life in Prison After Acquittal in 3 Murder Trials

In London, a “high level” drug dealer who had evaded prosecution and walked free after three murder trials has been convicted of a fourth killing and sentenced to life in prison by Mr. Justice Joel Bennathan, KC. Nana Oppong, 44, was ordered to serve a minimum of 38 years behind bars, with the judge describing him as an “extremely dangerous man.”

Oppong led a gang of seven men who tracked down and shot Robert “Fox” Powell at a birthday party in Roydon, Essex on June 13, 2020. Mr. Justice Bennathan stated that Oppong was likely the gunman, but regardless, he was the leader of the group and masterminded the attack.

During the attack, Mr. Powell was shot multiple times as he was leaving the party with his two sons. Two young women were also hit by bullets, sustaining minor injuries.

The judge noted that Oppong had a history of evading murder charges in the past, including cases where he was acquitted or charges were dropped due to lack of evidence.

Mr. Powell’s murder was orchestrated by Oppong using encrypted devices and burner phones. The prosecution claimed that Oppong monitored Mr. Powell’s movements through social media to plan the attack.

The jury was shown dashcam footage of cars arriving at the scene of the murder, indicating a coordinated and planned effort by Oppong and his gang.

After the murder, Oppong fled the country and was apprehended in Morocco with a fake passport. He was extradited back to the UK along with Israar Shah, who was also involved in the murder.

Oppong’s sentence took into account the time he spent in custody, as well as the involvement of Shah in the crime. Another suspect extradited from Spain, Temitope Adeyinka, is awaiting trial.

In a victim impact statement, Mr. Powell’s sister expressed the family’s pain and loss due to his murder, as well as the unresolved deaths of other family members in recent years.