Man given life for drug dispute murder

Khalil Muhammad has been jailed following a murder in Slough

A man has been given a life sentence for the murder of a 23-year-old man who was stabbed after a dispute over the supply of cannabis.

Khalil Muhammad, aged 27 and of no fixed abode, appeared at Reading Crown Court, where he was told he would serve a minimum of 22 years for the murder of Frederick Mutala.

Mr Mutala was stabbed in Rochfords Gardens in Slough on 11 September 2024 and died at the scene.

His family said: "While the sentencing provides some closure, it cannot undo the devastation caused by the loss of our beloved Frederick.

Muhammad was arrested on the day of the attack and charged two days later on 13 September 2024.

The trial was told he killed Frederick due to diminished responsibility, which the prosecution did not accept.

He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to possession with intent to supply a controlled class B drug. He also pleaded guilty to driving dangerously, without a valid licence and without third party insurance.

He was found not guilty of possession of a bladed article in a public place.

Frederick Mutala family described him as "kind, compassionate, and deeply loved"

Mr Mutala's family said it had been a "long and painful journey" through the courts.

"No sentence will ever bring him back or heal the hole left in our hearts and in the lives of everyone who loved him," they said.

Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Nick Hind, of Thames Valley Police's Major Crime Unit, said: "This was a horrific and shocking attack, resulting in the needless loss of a life, highlighting the stark reality and dangers of carrying a knife on our streets."