Two men who robbed and killed drug dealer jailed

Two men have been sentenced for killing and attempting to rob a drug dealer for a stash of cocaine in south London.

Michael Afonso-Peixoto, 27, drove to Thornton Heath after someone offered to buy drugs, but was instead ambushed by five men.

Zak Baako, 29, from Croydon, who was found guilty of murder, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 28 years and nine years concurrent for robbery.

Twenty-year-old John Budal from Streatham was ordered to serve nine years after being convicted for manslaughter and five years concurrent for robbery, the trial at the Old Bailey heard.

The pair were identified from DNA on cigarette butts left at the scene in December 2023.

Omari Peat, 23, from Mitcham was cleared of murder and manslaughter. He was sentenced to four years for robbery.

The trial heard that when the victim arrived, along with his friend, at Mayfield Crescent a BMW car with five men inside was waiting for him.

The men had been sitting in the BMW for half an hour smoking cigarettes and throwing the stubs out of the car windows, the prosecution said.

CCTV showed a man approaching the victim with a large knife.

Mr Afonso-Peixoto was stabbed five times and collapsed on the driveway of a house further down the road where he bled to death from a knife wound to the heart.

The prosecution did not know if the five men ever found Michael Afonso-Peixoto's drugs, but they had robbed his friend of her car and her mobile phone at knife-point, the trial was told.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]