Nepal UK
LONDON – Five masked men have been convicted of the brutal double murder of a teenager and a young man, along with the attempted murder of a third individual, following a violent assault at a music video shoot in Archway, north London, in 2023. The convictions at the Old Bailey mark the culmination of a protracted trial that began in March this year.
Leonardo Reid, 15, and Klevi Shekaj, 23, both suffered fatal stab wounds during the unprovoked attack. Additionally, 28-year-old Abdullah Abdullahi, a passer-by, sustained severe injuries after being struck with a machete. The jury deliberated for more than 53 hours before returning guilty verdicts on all charges.
The convicted individuals, who had denied all charges, are Lorik Lupqi, 21, of no fixed address; Jason Furtado, 28, of Halton Road, Islington; Xavier Poponne, 22, also of Halton Road, Islington; Abel Chunda, 29, of Highgate Hill, N19; and Eden Clark, 31, of no fixed address. All five will face sentencing on 25 and 26 September.
The court heard harrowing details of the night, when the knife-wielding assailants descended upon a gathering on the Elthorne Estate where a music video was being filmed. Despite an earlier police intervention to disperse a crowd due to noise complaints, a number of youths remained in the area.
Leonardo Reid was tragically stabbed in the chest, the blade piercing his left lung and a major blood vessel, leading to immediate and fatal blood loss. Klevi Shekaj suffered a deep knife wound to his back, also severing his left lung, and was pronounced dead upon arrival at hospital. Abdullahi was mercilessly attacked with a machete, sustaining wounds to his knee, head, and abdomen.
Key evidence presented during the trial revealed that Lorik Lupqi and Jason Furtado were both wearing electronic ankle tags at the time of the murders. Furthermore, song lyrics recovered from Xavier Poponne's phone allegedly "glorified" the killings, with boasts of having "got me a trio."
After the "murderous" assault, a taxi transported Chunda, Poponne, Clark, and Lupqi away from the scene to Chunda's residence. While four of the defendants were apprehended between July 2023 and May 2024, Lupqi had attempted to evade justice by cutting off his tag and fleeing to Kosovo, only to be extradited back to the UK in November 2024.
Families of the victims were present in court, visibly emotional as Judge Anuja Dhir KC commended the jury for their "care, attention and diligence" throughout the lengthy proceedings.
