Man who killed UK-based Nigerian awaits sentencing

A 23-year-old man, Ben Wazabanga, has been found guilty of killing Ayowale Aladejana, a Nigerian based in the UK. He will be sentenced on July 13.

The UK Metropolitan Police shared this news in a statement on Friday. Wazabanga was convicted by a jury at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday.

The police reported that Wazabanga, who lives on Fairfax Road in Bedford, murdered the 26-year-old Nigerian in New Cross, London, during a money dispute.

Investigators found CCTV footage, phone records, and vehicle tracking evidence. This showed that Wazabanga went from Bedford to confront Aladejana and then stabbed him.

The police statement said, "On Thursday, 11 June, a jury at Southwark Crown Court found Ben Wazabanga, 23, guilty of murdering 26-year-old Ayowale Aladejana."

They added, "Through extensive CCTV and phone analysis, officers were able to build a strong and compelling case. They established that Wazabanga had turned against Aladejana, his former business associate, in a dispute over money."

"Fueled by anger, he planned to confront him and armed himself with a knife, which he later used to kill Aladejana."

The police said officers arrived at a house on Monson Road, New Cross, on August 2, 2025, after reports of a stabbing.

Emergency responders from the London Ambulance Service and London Air Ambulance treated Aladejana at the scene, but he was pronounced dead soon after.

The statement continued, "A post-mortem examination took place on Sunday, 3 August, and gave a preliminary cause of death as a stab wound to the chest."

The Metropolitan Police explained that investigators quickly checked CCTV footage nearby. They found a vehicle parked outside the victim’s home before it drove away.

Police later stopped the vehicle near Waterloo Bridge in central London. They arrested Wazabanga after he tried to run away while holding a knife.

The statement also noted that Automatic Number Plate Recognition data showed Wazabanga drove about 50 miles from Bedford to New Cross to confront Aladejana. Phone records showed his anger towards the victim and his plans before the attack.

Detective Chief Inspector Lucie Card, the lead investigator, called the killing a calculated and avoidable act of violence.

She said, "This was a calculated and brutal attack, with Wazabanga driving a considerable distance to accost Aladejana at his home and cause him harm."

Card added, "Both the responding officers and subsequent detectives worked tirelessly, examining CCTV and phone data, to piece together the timeline that led to Aladejana’s death."

She concluded, "This was a truly tragic and avoidable incident. We established that Wazabanga alone used the knife to kill Aladejana, and I hope that today’s conviction will bring Aladejana’s loved ones a measure of comfort as they continue to grieve his loss."

The police confirmed that Wazabanga would be sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, July 13.