UK Drug dealer Nana Oppong tried four times for murder found guilty of music manager fatal shooting
Source: Graphic Online
Nana Oppong was one of the UK’s most wanted fugitives when he was caught hiding in the back of a lorry on his way into Morocco and extradited back to face trial for organising the execution of a man outside a party.
It wasn’t the first time the 43-year-old, a high-level drug dealer known as Enz, had been accused of killing someone – he had already been cleared of three separate murders.
But Oppong is today facing a life sentence after being found guilty at London’s Woolwich Crown Court of murdering 50-year-old Robert Powell.
Mr Powell, who was the manager of rapper Dutchavelli – who had a top ten hit with Stormzy – was shot eight times outside Hills House, in Water Lane, Roydon, Essex, as he left a party with his two adult sons in the early hours of 13 April 2020.
He suffered 15 bullet wounds – some caused by the same bullet fired from a 9mm Luger semi-automatic pistol passing in and out – including one that knocked the gold grill from his mouth.
Prosecutors said Oppong organised the “execution”, leading a team including drivers and spotters, over a “grievance” with Mr Powell.
The victim was found by police being put into the back seat of a Ford Mondeo by bystanders and he died the next day in hospital, while two women were also shot and survived.
Prosecutor Justin Rouse KC told the jury that Oppong “slipped out of the country” after the murder and in messages sent from abroad, said: “Bro don’t think I’m coming back” and “I ain’t doing no time bro.”
While on the run, Oppong was named by the National Crime Agency as one of the UK’s most wanted fugitives, before he was caught with a Maltese passport hiding in the back of a lorry as he entered Morocco and was extradited back to the UK to face trial.
“He was the instigator, protagonist, and principal organiser of this killing,” said Mr Rouse.
The court heard he arrived at the scene with a loaded firearm in a Ford Kuga with cloned number plates to hide its identity before a gunman got out and Mr Powell was “executed”.
“The gunman may have been Nana Oppong or someone else from the Kuga,” said Mr Rouse.
“It doesn’t matter who pulled the trigger – this was what lawyers call a joint enterprise, they were in it together and are equally responsible.”
Oppong, of West Road, Stratford, east London, stood trial alongside Israar Shah, 39, of Kelvedon Hatch, Essex, who also left the country after the murder and was found in Spain before being extradited.
Both were found guilty of murder and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, while Oppong was also convicted of causing grievous bodily harm and possession of a prohibited weapon.
Shah accepted he was at the scene in his Toyota Prius with Adeyinka, but said he did not play any part in the murder, while Oppong denied he was there.
The court heard others were involved in the shooting, including Temitope Adeyinka, known as Limo, who is still on the run.
Oppong was cleared of murdering Eugene Brown, 27, and 36-year-old Patrick Ford, who were shot dead outside a birthday party at the Sugar Lounge nightclub in Forest Gate, east London, in 2010, after two Old Bailey juries failed to reach verdicts.
But he was jailed for two years after being found guilty of perverting the course of justice after CCTV footage proved he was standing beside the shooter, who he had denied knowing.
In 2015, Oppong was acquitted of knifing 25-year-old Ashley Latty to death in a vicious attack outside a private party in Dagenham, east London. He was sentenced to four years imprisonment after admitting to causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
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