Armed robbers convicted over drug dealer's death

Olsi Kuka died on 11 May

A team of armed robbers have been convicted over the death of a drug dealer who was stabbed in his bed for his "ill-gotten gains".

Olsi Kuka, 30, was attacked by a heavily armed group in the middle of the night on 11 May 2022 at his home in Whetstone, north London.

After a trial at the Old Bailey, Santana Thompson, 21, and Daige Ramsey, 25, were found guilty of manslaughter.

At a previous trial their accomplice Reuban Bernard was found guilty of murder after carrying out the fatal stabbing.

"Ill-gotten gains"

Prosecutor Edward Brown KC told the trial: "The evidence shows that the object of the attack was a robbery of a drug dealer - of his drugs and/or his cash, no doubt made from dealing in drugs.

"The victim had been stabbed seven times and had a further three knife wounds to his body," he said.

He added: "Olsi Kuka was robbed and killed for his ill-gotten gains so that the team could instead use the drugs and money.

"What is plain is that this was a planned attack and each man was playing his part, knowing what was to take place and what might be needed in a robbery of a drug dealer."

A number of knives and a BB gun had been carried to the scene, leaving one man dead and another injured, he said.

The "organiser" of the attack, Orzan Seran, had also pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Olsi Kuka and to unlawfully wounding his cousin, Alush Kuka.

The defendants in the current trial, Santana Thompson and Daige Ramsey, had also been convicted at the earlier trial of conspiracy to rob, together with Bernard and Seran.

The court heard that another defendant, Bulent Bakir from Enfield, was convicted of conspiracy to rob.

The trial heard he was not inside the address like the others, but had driven one part of the team of robbers to the scene and away again and was "an essential element of the enterprise".

Thompson and Ramsey, both from Waltham Forest, were also found guilty of the unlawful wounding of Alush Kuka, following the trial.

Sentencing was adjourned to a future date.