RismadarVoice Reporters
March 26, 2026
A Nigerian national, Chukwuemeka Ahanonu, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a 56-year-old woman following a violent street attack in Leicester, United Kingdom.
Ahanonu, 24, was convicted at Leicester Crown Court on Monday and sentenced on Tuesday for the killing of Nila Patel, who was attacked on June 24, 2025, along Infirmary Road.
According to Leicestershire Police, the incident occurred after Ahanonu had been driving dangerously through the city centre, swerving across lanes, running red lights, and veering toward pedestrians before crashing his vehicle.
Police said he fled the crash scene and attacked Patel, who had just alighted from a bus and was walking home at the time.
Investigators revealed that Ahanonu had been under the influence of cannabis. Officers recovered dealer bags of the substance valued at over £3,000, as well as three iPhones from his car.
He had earlier pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, possession of cannabis with intent to supply, and assaulting an emergency worker after biting a female police officer.
Security personnel from Leicester Royal Infirmary restrained him shortly after the attack until police arrived, while medical staff treated Patel for severe injuries, including a fractured skull and brain trauma. She died two days later, leading to his re-arrest on suspicion of murder on June 26, 2025.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector 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 prior to the crash was “frightening and disturbing.”
She also praised members of the public who intervened, noting their role in restraining the suspect and assisting the victim.
Two Jailed in Ireland for Money Laundering
In a separate development, two Ireland-based men, Francis Ogbuefi, 42, and Steven Silvester, 32, have been sentenced to a combined 16 years in prison for their roles in a global money laundering operation.
According to Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the pair were prosecuted following an investigation by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau.
Ogbuefi received a nine-year sentence, while Silvester was handed seven and a half years.
