A man who laughed in a police interview when shown footage of himself killing a 56-year-old woman in a random street attack has been convicted of murder, following a five-week trial at Leicester Crown Court.
Chukwuemeka Ahanonu, 24, of Leicester, was found guilty on Monday of murdering Nila Patel, a mother described by her family as “a beautiful, vibrant soul” and “one of the most kind-hearted people you could ever meet.” Mrs Patel died in hospital two days after the attack in Leicester city centre in June last year, having sustained severe brain damage.
The assault took place moments after Ahanonu crashed his BMW in the city centre at 5.32pm, having driven erratically through traffic lights, across lanes and toward pedestrians. Mrs Patel had been travelling on a bus in the area at the time of the collision, saw the crash, and stepped off the bus to walk home. Within minutes, Ahanonu ran from the scene and attacked her without warning or provocation.
Prosecutor Mary Prior told the trial that Mrs Patel “did nothing to cause the attack and could not defend herself.” She had been walking along the road speaking to a friend on the phone when Ahanonu pulled her from behind, punched her in the face with sufficient force to knock her to the ground, then kicked and stamped on her — including stamping on her face. She was 5ft 4ins. Security staff from the nearby Leicester Royal Infirmary rushed out and restrained Ahanonu until police arrived.
When shown custody footage of the attack during police interview, Ahanonu laughed. Asked what he found funny, he replied: “If I don’t laugh, I cry.” He claimed he had no memory of killing Mrs Patel but told officers: “I need to see it, bro.” Leicestershire Police released the interview footage following the conviction.
Ahanonu was almost four times the legal driving limit for cannabis at the time of the attack and was found with dealer quantities of cannabis in his vehicle. He earned an estimated £10,000 a month selling drugs while claiming universal credit, the court heard.
He had been released on licence just a year before the killing, having served a two-year sentence for possession of a bladed article and breaching a suspended sentence order. That suspended sentence had itself followed a conviction for supplying cannabis from his university flat.
Ahanonu admitted manslaughter but was convicted of murder. He is due to be sentenced at Leicester Crown Court.
Detective Inspector Emma Matts described the attack as “the most horrific, violent and random attack by a stranger on a kind, gentle and loving woman who was simply making her way home.”
