Three men, Joshua Oladele, Micah Hines, and Ali Alamiri, have been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murder of 25-year-old Hamza Iqbal in London. The victim was stabbed 23 times in a revenge attack on September 24, 2023, after being ambushed by the trio wielding machetes. The attack was believed to be orchestrated by Dontae Smicle, who had been stabbed 11 days earlier and has since fled the country.
The court heard that the attack stemmed from a gang rivalry, with Smicle believing Hamza’s group was responsible for the earlier attack. Oladele, Hines, and Alamiri were seen psyching each other up before launching their deadly assault, with Oladele chasing Hamza down and stabbing him repeatedly even as he lay helpless on the ground.
Judge Rosa Dean described the attack as a “punishment killing” and lamented the terror Hamza must have felt in his final moments. She refused the attackers’ claims that they only intended to scare Hamza’s group, stating, “None of you have shown any remorse during the trial. Everything you’ve done has been to try to save yourselves and downplay your responsibility.”
Oladele was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 28 years, Hines received 25 years, and Alamiri 24 years. Hamza’s heartbroken family described him as a devoted family man who was on his way to see an Arsenal game before meeting his death.
