24 year old Nigerian Man has been jailed for life in UK over drug-fuelled attack in Leicester.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that a Nigerian national, Chukwuemeka Ahanonu, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a 56-year-old woman following a violent attack in Leicester.
According to Leicestershire Police, the 24-year-old attacked Nila Patel on June 24, 2025, along Infirmary Road after crashing his vehicle while under the influence of cannabis.
The incident came after Ahanonu was seen driving dangerously around the city centre, reportedly swerving across lanes, running red lights, and veering towards pedestrians before crashing his car.
Police said that after the crash, he fled the scene and assaulted Patel, who had just alighted from a bus and was walking home at the time.
Following a trial at Leicester Crown Court, a jury found him guilty on Monday, and he was sentenced to life imprisonment the following day.
Investigators revealed that at the time of his arrest, officers discovered he had been smoking cannabis. Dealer bags of the substance worth more than £3,000 and three iPhones were also recovered from his vehicle.
Ahanonu had earlier pleaded guilty to multiple offences, including dangerous driving, possession of cannabis with intent to supply, and assaulting an emergency worker after biting a female police officer.
Security personnel from the nearby Leicester Royal Infirmary managed to restrain him until police officers arrived. Medical staff treated Patel for severe injuries, including a fractured skull and brain trauma, but she died two days later. He was subsequently re-arrested on June 26, 2025, on suspicion of murder.
Senior Investigating Officer Emma Matts described the incident as a “horrific, violent and random attack.”
“Ahanonu was unknown to the victim. She was simply walking home when she was subjected to this brutal assault,” Matts said, adding that CCTV footage of his driving before the crash was “frightening and disturbing.”
She also commended members of the public who intervened, noting that their quick action in restraining the suspect and assisting the victim played a crucial role in ensuring justice.
Meanwhile, in a separate case, two Ireland-based men; Francis Ogbuefi, 42, and Steven Silvester, 32 were sentenced to a combined 16 years in prison for their involvement in a global money-laundering operation.
According to Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the pair were prosecuted after an investigation by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau. Ogbuefi received a nine-year sentence, while Silvester was handed seven and a half years.
Authorities said the cases highlight growing concerns about transnational criminal activities involving foreign nationals.
