Five arrested and three charged with murder after East Ham stabbing

A man who was fatally stabbed in Newham on Tuesday, 29 December has been named as 28-year-old Abiola Olalekan Akerele. His next of kin continue to be supported by specialist officers.
Abiola Akerele Credit: Met Police

Five people have been arrested and three charged with murder after a 28-year-old man was stabbed to death in east London.

The victim, identified by police as Abiola Akerele, was found injured in Stondon Walk, East Ham, shortly after 3.15pm on Tuesday and pronounced dead at the scene.

A post-mortem examination established his cause of death as a stab wound to the heart.

Police have charged Harry Ehibor, 20, of Chalk Farm Road, Camden, and Saeed Farouk, 21, of Macaulay Road, East Ham, with murder.

They will both appear in custody at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Rayhan Yasin Ali, 18, of Abbots Road, East Ham, was also previously charged with murder.

Ali has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at the Old Bailey on Tuesday.

A 17-year-old girl who was arrested on Friday on suspicion of murder has been released on bail until a date at the end of January.

On Sunday, police arrested a fifth person – a 20-year-old man from east London – on suspicion of murder at a residential address in Essex.

Detective Inspector Joanna Yorke, from the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Command (Homicide), said: “Our investigation is continuing at pace and we are working tirelessly to give Abiola’s family the answers they deserve.

“I believe that there will be people in the local community who either saw, heard or know something about this incident. I urge those people to get in touch.”

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information is asked to call 101 or tweet @MetCC, quoting CAD 3667/29DEC, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.