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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Antony Thrower & Will Twigger

Rappers who murdered teen with machete then fled to Kenya jailed

A rapping duo who fled to Kenya after stabbing a teenager to death before being hauled back to the UK have been sentenced to life in prison.

Tariq Monteiro, 23, and Siyad Mohamud, 24, were part of a gang who chased Alex Smith, 16, in cars and on foot before murdering him with a machete near Euston station in 2019.

The talented footballer was murdered in an ongoing tit-for-tat feud between Camden gangs from the Regent's Park and Agar Grove estates.

They fled to Kenya before being arrested in Nairobi and extradited to the UK.

Also known as Suspect and Swavey respectively posted videos online mocking the victim, who was said to be in a rival gang, and celebrating his murder.

Siyad Mohamud will serve at least 23 years (Met police)
Tariq Monteiro has been ordered to serve a minimum of 24 years (Met police)

Monteiro and Mohamud have now been ordered to serve a minimum of 24 years and the latter at least 23 years, MyLondon reports.

They are the third and fourth convictions for Alex's murder across separate trials.

It was previously reported how Alex had knocked on doors and screamed "help me" before he was stabbed to death

Beatriz Smith, his mum, called him her 'precious baby boy' and said she couldn't shake the image of him being 'hunted by a pack'..

Detective Sergeant Martin Slattery said: "The two men convicted, Siyad Mohamud and Tariq Monteiro, were arrested and returned to the UK from Kenya in January 2022.

"They had left London days after the murder in a bid to evade justice, but thanks to the diligence of detectives from the Metropolitan Police they were identified and, working alongside the National Crime Agency with the assistance of the Kenyan Transnational Organized Crime Unit, they were traced to Nairobi, Kenya and returned to the UK to be brought before the courts.

"I want to thank Alex’s family for their patience as well as acknowledging the commitment of my colleagues in the Met and our partners in bringing these men to justice.

"I truly hope that these further convictions will enable Alex’s family and friends to draw some comfort from knowing that these men, responsible for killing Alex, will spend a considerable period of time in prison.

"Neither Mohamud nor Monteiro have shown any remorse throughout the trial and have offered no explanation as to why they committed such a heinous act.

"These convictions reinforce the Metropolitan Police’s commitment and determination to bring those responsible for serious violence on the streets of London to justice, no matter where they run to and hide."

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