One found guilty of murder following fatal stabbing of University of Northampton student

The jury has found one of the teens on trial for murder guilty, following the fatal stabbing of University of Northampton student Kwabena Osei-Poku.

Mr Osei-Poku, formerly known as Alfred, died after he was fatally stabbed on Sunday, April 23 in New South Bridge Road, Far Cotton at 8.50pm near the Waterside Campus.

Ogechi Eke, aged 19, of Brimsdown Avenue, Enfield, and Melvin Lebaga-Idubor, aged 19, of Abbey Road, Barking and Dagenham, entered not guilty pleas to their charges of murder and possession of an article with a blade or point.

Lebaga-Idubor was found guilty of both murder and possession of an article with a blade or point.

Eke was found not guilty of both murder and possession of an article with a blade or point, and was acquitted.

Eke was also found not guilty of manslaughter

Zhanae Forbes-Coleman, aged 19, of Kendal Gardens, Edmonton, pleaded not guilty to her only charge of acts intending to pervert the course of justice.

Forbes-Coleman was found not guilty of this charge and was acquitted.

The murder trial began on Thursday, October 12 and the jury members were sent out to deliberate at 10.50am on Tuesday, November 21.

The prosecution contended the fatal incident was instigated by a “drug dealing turf war” which saw a “large amount of cannabis” stolen by Lebaga-Idubor from Mr Osei-Poku.

Lebaga-Idubor, who was accused of being Alfred's killer, was reportedly also “likely involved in drug dealing”, the court heard.

Both defendants took to the stand to give evidence earlier this month, with Eke denying that the fatal stabbing of a “rival” drug dealer was to “assert dominance” on campus.

The court heard how Mr Osei-Poku stabbed Lebaga-Idubor first – in the side of the body – on New South Bridge Road in a bid to get his drugs back.

However, Lebaga-Idubor told the court he acted in self defence prior to the fatal stabbing. Both defendants fled the scene, but Lebaga-Idubor later fled to London and then Paris to “clear his head” before returning to the UK.

He will be sentenced in January.