London court hands Nigerian national life sentence for deadly knife attack

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Fawaz Abdul Kareem/ SOURCE: Metropolitan Police

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By Emmanuel Okogba

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A London court has sentenced a 36-year-old Nigerian man, Fawaz Abdulkareem to life imprisonment for the fatal stabbing of a man following a dispute at a flat in Vauxhall.

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Abdulkareem was convicted of murdering 32-year-old Daniel Manuel and possessing a bladed article. He was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court on June 5 and must serve a minimum of 17 years before becoming eligible for parole.

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According to the Metropolitan Police, the incident occurred on July 5, 2025, at a residential building on Bondway. Officers were called to the scene in the early hours of the morning after reports of a stabbing.

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Police said Manuel was found with serious injuries in the lobby of the apartment block. Despite emergency treatment by officers, paramedics and medical personnel, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Investigators established that Manuel and Abdulkareem had spent the evening with friends before returning to the defendant’s flat. Prosecutors told the court that an argument later broke out, during which Manuel was fatally stabbed.

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Detectives arrested Abdulkareem at the scene and charged him the following day. During the investigation, officers recovered the knife believed to have been used in the attack after it was discarded from an upper floor of the building.

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Following a trial, a jury found Abdulkareem guilty of murder and possession of a bladed article.

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Detective Inspector Luke Hampton, who led the investigation, said the conviction followed extensive police work and thanked those involved in bringing the case to court.

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“Our thoughts remain with Daniel’s family, and we hope this sentence provides them with some measure of comfort,” Hampton said.

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In a statement read after the sentencing, Manuel’s wife, Zulal, described her husband as a central part of her life and spoke of the profound impact his death had on her family.

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The Metropolitan Police said the case highlights ongoing efforts to tackle serious violent crime and bring offenders to justice across London.

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