UK Court Sentences Nigerian Man to Life Imprisonment for Murder

A London court has sentenced a 36-year-old Nigerian man, Fawaz Abdulkareem, to life imprisonment for the fatal stabbing of a man following a dispute at a flat in Vauxhall.

Abdulkareem was found guilty of murdering 32-year-old Daniel Manuel and possessing a bladed article. He was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court on June 5 and will serve a minimum of 17 years before being eligible for parole.

According to the Metropolitan Police, the incident occurred on July 5, 2025, at a residential building on Bondway. Officers were called to the scene in the early hours following reports of a stabbing.

Manuel was discovered with severe injuries in the lobby of the apartment block. Despite emergency response efforts from police and paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigations revealed that Manuel and Abdulkareem had spent the evening together with friends before returning to the defendant’s flat. Prosecutors told the court that an argument broke out later, during which Manuel was fatally stabbed.

Detectives arrested Abdulkareem at the scene and charged him the following day. A knife believed to have been used in the attack was later recovered after being discarded from an upper floor of the building.

Following a trial, a jury convicted Abdulkareem of murder and possession of a bladed weapon.

Detective Inspector Luke Hampton, who led the investigation, said the conviction was the result of extensive police work and commended those involved in securing justice.

Manuel’s wife, Zulal, in a statement read after sentencing, described him as the centre of her life and spoke of the devastating impact his death had on her family.

The Metropolitan Police said the case underscores ongoing efforts to combat violent crime and ensure offenders are brought to justice across London.