Life sentence for killer who murdered father of four in restaurant brawl

A killer who stabbed a father of four to death in a mass brawl outside an African restaurant has been jailed for 25 years.

Drinkers fought with knives, poles and machetes as violence flared at the Bronze Royale in Forest Gate at 3am on August 10 last year.

Hamza Kamali, 28, knifed Saley Beya, 38, and also stabbed Jonathon Lofulo in the arm in the incident, the Old Bailey heard.

He was joined in the violence by Abdi Ulusow, 28, who was armed with a machete and Edson Bernardo, 26, who had a metal pole.

Kamali stabbed Mr Beya in the leg but the victim managed to run off, bleeding heavily and being chased by the killer who kicked him twice.

Mr Beya tried to flag down two passing cars but the drivers ignored him.

He fell to the ground pleading: ‘I don’t want to die, please help me,’ with passers by who tried to stauch his wound.

Mr Beya survived but had lost a huge amount of blood and suffered cardiac arrest in hospital. He died on August 29.

Police had been called to the Bronze Royale before and its licence was suspended for two months after the killing.

Kamali, of Stratford, had denied murder, possession of an offensive weapon, wounding with intent, and unlawful wounding.

He was cleared of the unlawful wounding charge but convicted of the other two allegations by an Old Bailey jury.

Mr Beya had been to a party in Southend, Essex, with three friends and had driven to the Bronze Royale.

Saley Beya

Paul Jarvis, KC, prosecuting, said: ‘Mr Kamali was not there simply to catch up with his friends, or to enjoy the nightlife. He was there to join in with the violence.’

Before the confrontation, Mr Jarvis said: ‘There were other people hanging around there too.

‘It seems that there was a party going on somewhere on the street. They were there for about 30 or 40 minutes before the trouble started.’

Referring to Mr Beya’s wound, Mr Jarvis added: ‘It caused a loss of blood that gradually caused a number of his internal organs to fail.’

Kamali claimed he was acting in self defence during the fight.

But Mr Jarvis said Kamali ‘enjoyed getting stuck in.’

When police officers examined CCTV footage of the restaurant they found it was operating as a nightclub and guests were drinking there until 4am.

At a licencing hearing a police officer said: ‘The Metropolitan Police Service has lost complete faith in the venue’s ability to operate in line with the licensing objectives, it is blatantly obvious from reviewing the CCTV that this venue has been habitually operating in a non-compliant capacity.’

Ulusow, of East Ham, and Bernardo, of Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, admitted affray and possession of an offensive weapon, namely a machete and pole in connection with the incident.

Judge Lynn Tayton jailed Kamali for life with a minimum recommendation of 25 years.

In impact statement the victim’s brother, Roderick said the family believe in accountability but also in forgiveness too.

‘He says they are praying for you and your family, Mr Kamali,’ the judge said.

‘You attended the restaurant with the intention of involving yourself in violence.

‘You took a knife to scene of the murder to have available to use as a weapon and you did use it to commit murder

‘You stabbed Mr Beya in the thigh with that knife.’

All three men have extensive criminal records and Bernardo has 23 convictions for 43 individual offences including robbery, possession of offensive weapons and wounding with intent when he attacked a man with a knife at Euston station.

Ulusow and Bernardo were both jailed for two years.

Detective Superintendent Kelly Allen, Specialist Crime North, said: ‘Saley’s family and loved ones have endured incredible pain and suffering over this past year and I am thinking of them today as they process this outcome.

‘Kamali’s actions that night were violent and deliberate. He went out armed with a knife – clearly intent on causing harm.

‘We will never know what prompted his interaction with Saley, but it is clear he is a very dangerous individual with little regard for human life and I’m pleased the jury were able to recognise the threat he poses to the public.’