Knightsbridge killing: Man guilty of murdering student

Mohammed Al-Araimi was stabbed to death while out with a friend in Knightsbridge

A man has been found guilty of murdering an Omani student near London department store Harrods.

Mohammed Al-Araimi, 20, was stabbed to death in an alleyway in Knightsbridge while out for dinner in December 2019.

Badir Al-Nazi, 24, and Arseboon Dilbaro, 23, were accused of targeting the King's College students in an attempted robbery.

Dilbaro was cleared of the killing but Al-Nazi was found guilty of murder and wounding with intent.

Mr Al-Araimi, the son of property magnate Sheikh Abdullah Al-Araimi, had been out with university friend Nasser Kanoo on 5 December 2019, when they were set upon.

Badir Al-Nazi (l) and Arseboon Dilbaro both denied murder

Inner London Crown Court heard that Mr Al-Araimi collapsed near the Harrods Christmas tree having suffered a single wound to the chest, while Mr Kanoo was stabbed in the back.

Mr Al-Araimi had been wearing a £34,000 Patek Philippe watch at the time, while Mr Kanoo had a £7,000 Rolex.

Prosecutors claimed the two defendants had tried to rob the pair.

Giving evidence at the trial by video-link from Bahrain, in the Persian Gulf, Mr Kanoo described his friend as the "nicest guy" and said they were targeted in a "very sudden" and "quick attack".

Prosecutor Anthony Orchard QC told jurors: "Unfortunately for them, the two friends, Mohammed and Nasser, were in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Mr Al-Araimi collapsed near the Harrods Christmas tree

Kuwaiti citizen Al-Nazi admitted manslaughter and having a knife but denied murder, claiming he did not mean to stab Mr Al-Araimi, while German national Dilbaro blamed his co-defendant for the stabbings.

Dilbaro was cleared of murder, manslaughter and having a knife but was found guilty of wounding Mr Kanoo.

Both men were acquitted of attempted robbery.

The pair will be sentenced on 10 September.