Two years for mother who gave killer son an alibi
A care home worker who made up an alibi for her teenage son after he stabbed a rival to death has been jailed for two years.
Hussein Al-Saabri, 23, died after he was knifed in the stomach in front of horrified shoppers outside Debenhams in St Anns Shopping Centre in Harrow, northwest London.
Rickarlo Williams and Jahni Menzie-Samuels, both 19, were armed with a Rambo knife and a machete when they hacked Mr Al-Saabri to death.
A second victim Jaffar Musair was also left with seven stab wounds while Hamoud Al-Hassona suffered an injury to his back after they too were attacked on 13 December 2020, the Old Bailey heard.
The knife attack was act of revenge because of a Snapchat row. the court was told.
Both killers now face life sentences.
Manzie-Samuels’ mother, Karlene Joseph, 43, told the police that her son was having dinner with her on the night that Al-Saabri was murdered.
She even phoned the police to provide them with the false statement.
Joseph’s lawyer Stephen Nelson said the care home was “likely to retain her employment either now or in the future.”
But Judge John Hillen told her that the ‘police gave you every opportunity to withdraw the statement’ but she refused.
He reduced the sentence because Joseph has a seven-year-old son and an older son with mental health issues who is unable to live alone.
The judge also noted that she is has not previous convictions and that she is employed as the team leader at a care home for the elderly in Brent.
He added: ‘Everyone would understand the maternal; instinct to protect your child, but that cannot excuse your deliberate effort to help a murderer walk free.’
‘I note the impact that this will have on your seven-year-old child, but that’s on you.’
Joseph of Harrow, denied perverting the course of justice.
ends
