Tomasz Waga: Three jailed for beating drug rival to death
- Published
Tomasz Waga was found dead in Cardiff last year
Three members of an Albanian gang have been jailed for beating to death a man who had tried to steal drugs from them.
Tomosz Waga, 23, from Dagenham, east London, tried to steal cannabis from a house-based factory in Cardiff in 2021.
Josif Nushi, 27, and Mihal Dhana, 29, both from Cardiff, were jailed for his murder and will serve a minimum term of 20 and 16 years respectively.
Hysland Aliaj, 31, of no fixed abode, was jailed for a minimum of 10 years for manslaughter.
Mr Waga's sister told Newport Crown Court that her brother's body was "dumped like a bag of rubbish".
"Tomosz had his entire life ahead of him, including a newborn son, who is now fatherless," she added.
Josif Nushi (left), Mihal Dhana (centre) and Hysland Aliaj have been jailed for killing 23-year-old Tomosz Waga
All three men fled to Albania after the killing, but were extradited back to the UK to stand trial.
The investigation was one of the biggest and most complex investigations ever undertaken by South Wales Police, with arrests in Albania, France and Germany.
"We were dealing with a foreign organised crime group. At one point, pretty much every available detective in South Wales Police was involved and engaged in this enquiry, along with all of our forensic capability," said Det Supt Mark O'Shea.
"It was the biggest forensic case that we've ever run in this force area, with links across the United Kingdom."
The case involved organised crime groups from south-east England and Europe, with Welsh officers paying tribute to Albanian police in particular.
The court heard Aliaj was a fireman in Albania and played a significant role in a rescue operation following an earthquake in the country, receiving an award for bravery.
Mr Waga and another man, Carl Davies, travelled from east London to try to steal cannabis plants from a house in Newport Road, Cardiff.
The court heard Mr Waga had a previous conviction on his record for carrying out a similar crime.
Upon breaking into the three-storey property - a former GP surgery on Newport Road, Cardiff, they discovered Aliaj, the gang's "gardener", asleep in one of the rooms.
The court heard the house contained 572 cannabis plants with an estimated yield of between 16kg and 48kg (35lb and 105lb) and a potential value of between £64,000 and nearly £250,000
But after having heard the burglars, Aliaj alerted other members, including Nushi and Dhana, who managed to get to the house within five minutes.
Mr Waga and Mr Davies, who had remained in the house to collect cannabis plants, tried to flee from an upstairs window but were cornered by the three defendants.
The pair were then attacked with baseball bats and bricks and Mr Waga was dragged into a Mercedes car.
His body was later found dumped in the Penylan area of Cardiff.
He suffered 25 injuries to his head and mouth, bruising to his chest and damage to his ribs, arms and a degree of swelling and bruising to his brain.
His cause of death was given as obstruction to the airways by blood.
Sentences in full:
Josif Nushi, 27, of Ninian Road, Roath
Murder: Life in prison with a minimum term of 20 years, minus 590 days already served on remand
Wounding with intent: Five years, to be served concurrently
Conspiracy to produce a controlled drug: Three years, to be served concurrently
Mihal Dhana, 29, of Colum Road, Cathays
Murder: Life in prison with a minimum term of 16 years, minus 590 days already served on remand
Wounding with intent: Four years, to be served concurrently
Hysland Aliaj, 31, of no fixed abode
Manslaughter: 10 years
Unlawful wounding: 18 months, to be served concurrently
Conspiracy to produce a controlled drug: 22 months, to be served concurrently
Tomasz Waga and another man, Carl Davies, travelled from east London to try to steal cannabis plants from a house in Newport Road, Cardiff
A statement from Tomosz Waga's sister was read to the court.
She said her mother, father and Mr Waga's partner had tried to complete statements but could not because they were too upset.
"I wouldn't wish this kind of trauma on anyone, no matter what," she said.
"I have been living in survival mode since and the pain of not being there to comfort him in his last moments of life as his older sister has been unimaginable."
Tomasz Waga travelled to Cardiff from Dagenham on the day he was killed
Ms Waga described the way her brother's body was disposed of as "inhumane".
"The way in which he was dumped like a bag of rubbish will haunt me for the rest of my life, as will seeing his lifeless and battered face during formal identification," she said.
"He was robbed of witnessing his son's countless precious moments and milestones, including taking his first steps or saying dad.
"It truly breaks my heart seeing him growing up without my brother present.
"He was my only brother, and despite the bad choices that he made on the night, he had a good heart, meant well. He loved football - and living life to the fullest."
Two other men - Gledis Mehalla and Mario Qato - were previously cleared of murder.
- Published14 December 2022
- Published6 December 2022
