Three gang members have been convicted of the murder of a Nigerian man in London

[Johnson (l); Gray (m); Goodensimms (r)]




Three gang members have been convicted of the murder of a man in Charlton.

The court heard how 25-year-old Tobi Animashaun had been surrounded and stabbed to death as he left work.

Those convicted are:
[A] Jeremiah Lloyd Johnson, 23 (11.09.93) of Walnut Road, E10;
[B] Codie Goodensimms, 22 (08.08.94) of Fairthorn Road, SE7;
[D] Antoin Gray, 22 (17.06.94) of Troughton Road, Charlton.

They were convicted on Wednesday, 10 May after an eight-week trial at the Old Bailey. All three will be sentenced later today.

The court heard how on Sunday, 11 September 2016 Tobi went to his place of work, Sanisbury's Supermarkets Distribution Centre in Anchor and Hope Lane, Charlton.

He had finished work and came out of the depot at around 19:45hrs.
Witnesses described how three cars full of young males had parked outside the front gates.
As Tobi walked out he was approached by at least one of the men from the car who started to speak to him.

Witnesses heard the conversation was around Tobi working and whether he was still part of 'Road Life'.

The group then attacked Tobi without warning. They were armed with various weapons, which included knives, machetes and a baseball bat.
During the course of the assault Tobi was stabbed a number of time including one wound to his abdomen and another to his heart.

One of the attackers, who was armed with a knife, also threatened the members of the public who were witnessing the horrifying assault. After the attack the gang made off in the three cars.

Officers and London Ambulance Service attended, and Tobi was taken to a south London hospital.
Despite all the efforts of medical staff, Tobi died the following morning, Monday 12 September.
A post-mortem examination on Tuesday, 13 September, at Greenwich Mortuary gave his cause of death as result of the stab wounds to chest and abdomen.

An investigation began by officers from the Homicide and Major Crime Command and it quickly became apparent the motive for the attack was gang related.

Johnson and Goodensimms were part of a gang based on Charlton, southeast London
The victim had been a member of a rival gang from Thamesmead, southeast London, and there was a history of violence between these two rival gangs.

However Tobi had left the gang, started work and began to build a new life for himself.
Witnesses, phone enquiries and forensic evidence recovered at the scene and in the vehicles the gang used, resulted in suspects being identified.

On Friday, 16 September [A] Jeremiah Lloyd Johnson and [B] Codie Goodensimms, were arrested in connection with the investigation.
Both were later charged with Tobi's murder: Johnson being charged on Sunday, 18 September and Goodensimms being charged on 29 November.

On Tuesday, 11 October [D] Antoin Gray was arrested on suspicion of murder. He was subsequently charged with Tobi's murder on Wednesday, 19 October.

Detective Sergeant Steve Keogh of the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "This case is all the more tragic as Tobi was on a new and positive path.

"He had got a job and was working to make a new life for himself, away from the pernicious influence of gang culture.

"Tobi was the victim of a planned attack that was savage, cowardly and remorseless. These men armed themselves with weapons, waited for Tobi, and then murdered him in front of horrified members of the public, who they also threatened.

"Tobi's family has been left bereft by this wanton act of violence. These men have now been made to face the responsibly for their actions. They will face many years in prison to reflect on their violent actions of that day."