A knifeman armed with a makeshift blade has been jailed for life for a series of slasher attacks on strangers which culminated in the murder of a “kind-hearted” woman.
Johanita Kossiwa Dogbey, 31, had been walking alone in Stockwell Park Walk in Brixton on 1 May last year, when she was randomly approached from behind by Mohamed Nur, who attacked her in broad daylight.
Using a homemade blade, he cut her throat, causing fatal injuries and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Just two days previously, Nur had carried out three other attacks on strangers in south London, approaching them in quick succession at around 11.30pm last 29 April.
He pleaded guilty to Ms Dogbey’s murder and convicted of three charges of unlawful wounding, and has now been jailed for life with a minimum term of 32 years.
The first victim, Rebecca Wilkes, was approached from behind, grabbed and slashed on her right cheek, causing a 9cm cut.
The second victim, Tomasz Kmiecik, suffered a 15cm facial cut and the third victim, Katie Matthews, sustained a 6cm wound to her face.
Prosecutor Julian Evans KC told jurors: “In each case, the victim did nothing to confront or provoke the man who attacked them. Each victim was attacked without warning and for no apparent reason.
“In short, all three attacks were completely random. There is nothing to suggest that the man who carried out the attacks knew anything about any of three victims.”
Nur was arrested last May 2 after being stopped by police in Brixton High Street in possession of a weapon fashioned from a piece of broken mirror.
Judge Angela Rafferty KC said the murder was “random, vicious, horrific” and “without mercy”.
Addressing Nur despite his absence, she said: “You stabbed her three times in her neck causing the fatal wounds. You did not stop until she fell down.”
Referring to CCTV of the attack, she said: “It is a sickening piece of footage to view but it must have been more horrific for those present to witness.”
She added: “You have led a life dominated by drug use. You are a very dangerous man and the risk you pose is incalculable.”
Finding he was “extremely dangerous”, the judge said that if he had not been arrested, Nur would have struck again.
During the hearing, Ms Dogbey’s younger sister Laura outlined the impact of losing her “innocent, loving, selfless” sister.
She told the court: “To say it was the worst day of my life would be too simple. To say it broke me would be an understatement.
“It hurts to think no-one was able to protect her from the actions of this man who snuck up behind her and took her life.”
She condemned the “selfish” and “premeditated” killing, saying her sister would “never hurt a fly”.
In mitigation, Jeremy Wainwright KC said: “It is accepted there cannot be any reason or justification for such a shocking and horrific offence such as this.”
Mr Wainwright understood the victim’s family wanted to know why but he had no explanation to offer them.
Nur, who came to the UK from Somalia in 1993, became addicted to drugs and was homeless from December 2022, the court heard.
At the time of the attacks, he was living in accommodation for vulnerable adults in Vauxhall, south London, and had previous convictions possession of cannabis, a firearm, ammunition and blades.
Graphic CCTV footage of the murder of Ms Dogbey was shown in court.
Mr Evans said that at about 4pm last May 1, Ms Dogbey had been walking alone in Stockwell Park Walk carrying a shopping bag and a mobile phone.
She was returning home after a trip to Oxford Street in central London to buy her mother a birthday present.
She was on the phone to her grandmother when she was attacked from behind by Nur.
Mr Evans said: “From the CCTV footage, it is clear that Johanita had no idea that Mohamed Nur was close behind her, or that he was about to attack her.
“The attack was sudden, it was violent, and it was without warning. It was completely unprovoked.
“Mohamed Nur repeatedly stabbed Johanita in the area of her neck. He did so until she fell to the ground.”
Ms Dogbey was heard to say “leave me, leave me” during the onslaught.
Afterwards, Nur ran away, discarding his weapon in a housing estate where it was later recovered by police.
Members of the public had phoned 999 and police and medics quickly arrived at the scene.
Despite the efforts of members of the London Ambulance Service, Ms Dogbey died at 4.42pm.
Ms Dogbey’s grandmother had heard a “commotion” while on the phone with her and alerted the victim’s father after the call ended abruptly.
He and Ms Dogbey’s sister rushed to the scene where police informed them that she had died.
Earlier, Judge Rafferty indicated possible consequences for Nur’s failure to attend court, saying: “We cannot have defendants in cases such as this not turning up to court.”
