Lakeside murderer sentenced for fatally stabbing father of two
29 year old Michael Ugwa was cornered and stabbed in April last year
Three people found guilty of being involved in the death of a father of two in Lakeside shopping centre have been sentenced.
23 year old Muhammed Kahn from Ilford received a 27 year sentence for Murder and Affray
20 year old Brandon Lutchmunsing from Dagenham got 15 years for manslaughter and affray,
while 21 year old Shannon Weston from Canewdon was handed a 2 year suspended sentence for assisting an offender.
Twenty-nine year-old Michael Ugwa was fatally stabbed on the afternoon of 28 April last year...
Michael had been at the shopping centre with two friends that day.
While passing through the food hall at approximately 4.30pm, they encountered three individuals: 23 year-old Muhammad Khan, 20 year-old Brandon Lutchmunsing, and 21 year-old Shannon Weston, seated at a kiosk. Michael engaged in a brief conversation with Weston, which led Khan and Lutchmunsing to stand up and confront him. Tragically, Khan was armed with a flick knife.
The situation escalated, prompting Khan and Lutchmunsing to chase away Michael's friends, leaving him cornered. In a desperate attempt to defend himself, Michael grabbed a chair from the seating area, but Lutchmunsing threw another chair at him, causing him to drop his guard.
With Michael vulnerable, Khan approached him from the left and violently lunged at him with the knife, inflicting multiple stab wounds, including one under the arm, through his ribs, and piercing his heart. Following the attack, Khan and Lutchmunsing quickly fled the scene and met up with Weston, who had already left the area. The three offenders then made their escape through Primark, leaving Michael severely injured.
Despite the prompt response of emergency services, Michael succumbed to his injuries and tragically passed away.
The entire incident was captured by the comprehensive network of 362 CCTV cameras at Lakeside shopping centre, aiding in the investigation.
Following a trial in May of this year, at Basildon Crown Court...
Senior investigating officer Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Julie Gowen said: “First and foremost my thoughts are with Michael Ugwa’s family who have shown great dignity through the investigation and court case.
“No conviction will ever bring Michael back but I hope this represents justice for them and helps them move forward
“Although this incident played out over the course of a few minutes, the fatal assault was over in a matter of seconds.
“This case shows the tragic consequences that carrying a knife can have and how quickly an incident can escalate when weapons are involved.
“Khan had tried to claim he was carrying the knife for self protection but there was no suggestion that he was in any danger in this incident.
“To the contrary, it was he and Brandon Lutchmunsing who were the aggressors, instigating the confrontation, chasing off Michael Ugwa’s friends, and cornering him before he lunged at him and stabbing him.
“The fact of the matter is you do not go out with a knife if you do not have some intent on using it.
“And if Khan had not had that knife, we would not be here today. He and Lutchmunsing would not be facing a life sentence, Michael’s children would not be growing up without their father, and his family would not be grieving the loss of a much-loved fiancé, son, brother, uncle, and cousin.”