Killer had been on a ‘clown’ ride-out with a mask and a shotgun

A killer who stabbed a gang rival to death in an off licence is a serving 23 years for trying to hunt down victims with a shotgun wearing a terrifying clown mask.

Lekan Akinsoji, 27, is one of the most violent members of North Newham gang, whose associates have been stabbing and murdering people in east London for years.

He got 23 years in 2019 when he took aim at armed police who shot at his car.

Prosecutor Anthony Orchard told the court: ‘His white face reminded the officer of the Hollywood film ‘Heat’ and it looked like a clown’s face.’

A year before the ride out, Akinsoji and his school friend Sundjata Keita, both 27, murdered Ahmed Deen Jah, 24, in BJ Wines in Custom House, east London, on 2 April 2017.

Jah was a leading member of the Custom House gang and his younger brother ‘Junior’ Abubakarr Jah, 18, was stabbed and shot dead in Custom House in April 2021.

Mr Orchard said Mr Jah was killed when he left his home to buy a lighter at BJ Wines, at 23 Freemasons Road.

‘As he did so, a stolen black Mercedes had just parked nearby. Two men, wearing all black clothing, balaclavas, and gloves, got out from the passenger side of that vehicle.

‘Ahmed Deen Jah left the shop, and walked down an alleyway next to it.

‘As he reached the far end of alleyway, he was seen and he saw the two men who had just emerged from the car.

‘Seconds later he ran back down the alleyway and into the shop he had just been. He was being chased by both men.

‘He ran back into BJ Wines. The taller of the two males entered the shop after Ahmed Deen Jah. The attacker was carrying a large knife.

‘There was a desperate struggle around the shop. Ahmed Deen Jah was unable to repel his attacker.

‘He fell to the ground and was stabbed in the heart. The time was 3.24pm. The stabber having achieved his aim, ran from the shop to the waiting getaway car.

‘The prosecution case is Mr Akinsoji was the stabber and Mr Keita the other attacker. The stabbing was captured on CCTV.’

Mr Orchard added: ‘The London Ambulance service attended BJ Wines. Despite medical assistance, Ahmed Deen Jah was pronounced life extinct at the scene at 3.49pm on 2 April 2017.

‘This killing was not a spontaneous act of violence, but an attack planned against a background of street violence between two East London gangs, North Newham, which was consisted of three smaller local gangs from the north of Newham Borough, and Custom House, which was in the South Newham area, and to which Ahmed Deen Jah was linked.

‘Those in the black Mercedes had been on a ‘ride-out – driving to an opposing gangs’ area looking for rival gang members, or perceived members, to attack.

‘Ahmed Deen Jah had been attacked in his local off-licence. He lived about 150 metres away from it. The off-licence, BJ Wines, is located in Freemasons Road, E16. Freemasons Road is in the heart of the Customs House area.’

Ahmed Deen Jah had eight convictions for 22 offences including drug dealing and violence.

Keita is known by the street name ‘SK’ and was arrested in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire on 10 April 2017.

He was found in possession of two parcels of class A drugs and money was found hidden in the insole of one of his training shoes. He had a new phone with him that had been activated after the murder.

He had a half completed passport application and a piece of paper with West African telephone numbers on it.

Akinsoji, of no fixed address, and Keita, of Wanstead, east London, denied murder but were convicted by the jury.

Akinsoji is a drill rapper and goes by the street name ‘Cracky Blacks’.

He had gone on the earlier ‘ride-out’ with, Darnell Joseph-Newill, then 21, Nathaniel Lewis, 23, and Troy Ifill, 22.

The four were ‘tooled up’ with a sawn-off shotgun as well as a terrifying ‘Zombie’ knife and a pickaxe as they drove through enemy territory.

Their BMW had been kitted out with false plates and they ditched their mobile phones to try and beat any attempt to trace their movements.

But they were spotted by an armed police patrol who pursued them during a mile-long chase through the streets of Leytonstone, east London.

Front seat passenger Akinsoji wearing a white clown mask, took aim with the shotgun and the officer behind the wheel pulled out his Glock and fired four shots through the BMW’s windscreen.

His colleagues also fired their weapons, but the dramatic shoot-out was only ended when the car was blocked by an oncoming vehicle after turning the wrong way down a one-way street.

The gun was a sawn off single barreled shotgun loaded with a live cartridge, cocked, and ready to fire.

Akinsoji, Joseph-Newill, Ifil and Lewis were each jailed for 26 years.

They had all appeared in a number of drill videos, with Akinsoji rapping in one: ‘We ride, we ride to kill.’

In another clip he bragged: ‘Any rival gang member I see I’ll kill, four gang members in a car they are serious guys that will kill rival gang member.’

All four men denied possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and conspiring to cause GBH with intent but were unanimously convicted by the jury.

Akinsoji and Keita both denied but were convicted of murdering Ahmed Deen Jah by an Old Bailey jury.

Judge Anthony Leonard, KC, told them: ‘I will have to pass life sentences’, as a family member in the public gallery shouted: ‘God is in control. Love you, love you, love you.’

Akinsoji and Keita will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on October 24.