Police were able to identify the killer of a man using a single fingerprint left at the scene of a murder.
Liban Ali was on Wednesday jailed for fatally stabbing Andre Foster, 44, in a flat in Kilburn in December 2022.
Police were called to reports of a stabbing at a residential address at Gable Lodge just before 10am on December 20.
Mr Foster was treated by paramedics but pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem gave his cause of death as a stab wound to the neck.
Ali had initially attempted to evade police by immediately leaving London for Nottingham, where he had an associate, after the killing.
However, police used CCTV to piece together his journey on public transport and pinpoint his location.
Ali was tracked down and arrested three days after the attack by a team of Met officers. He was subsequently charged with murder but later pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Detectives were able to identify Ali using a single fingerprint lifted from a sink in the bathroom of the address where the murder too place.
Because Ali was known to police having previous multiple drugs and weapon related convictions, the fingerprint showed a match to Ali when searched on the police database.
In an emotional tribute, Mr Foster’s family said he was a “caring, loving and free-spirited person who touched the lives of so many people”.
“This senseless killing has shocked and devastated his entire family and friends. We are all healing from our loss,” they said.
"Anyone who carries a lethal weapon does so in the knowledge that their actions could result in serious harm or even death of another person. There needs to be harsher sentencing.
"More needs to be done to help stop knife crimes, more interventions in schools and clubs to educate youths of the consequences of carrying or using an offensive weapon, and in prisons to re-educate offenders on the impact of their actions so lessons can be learned."
Ali, 31, of no fixed address, was also charged with drugs offences and possession of a bladed article at the time of his arrest for murder.
At the Old Bailey last month, the prosecution accepted Ali’s guilty plea of manslaughter.
He also pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding in relation to an incident that took place on December 9, 2022 at an address on Fordwych Road in Cricklewood, where a man was assaulted with a weapon.
Ali was sentenced to a total of 13 years’ imprisonment for the offences, including 9 years for the killing of Mr Foster.
Detective Inspector Jonny Newell, the investigating officer, said: “This is an extremely sad case of a man losing his life in a violent, unnecessary and sudden way. Ali accepted that he killed Andre in self-defence and also admitted a range of other offences.
“Ali is a criminal who causes harm to people, and he belongs in prison.
“Andre was very much loved by his family, who miss him terribly, and I hope that they can find some measure of comfort that the man who killed him will be behind bars for an extremely lengthy period of time.”
