Teen jailed for murder of Kamari Johnson over £180 moped

A teenager who stabbed a 16-year-old boy to death with a 12-inch machete following a dispute over a £180 moped has been detained for life.

The 17-year-old killer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at the Old Bailey where he was ordered to serve a minimum term of 20 years behind bars. He had previously been found guilty of the murder of Kamari Johnson and possession of a bladed article following a trial in January.

The court heard the fatal attack was sparked by a petty disagreement that spiralled into "murderous violence" on the streets of Hayes, West London.

"Took the money and ran"

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Prosecutors detailed how the defendant and Kamari had been in contact via Snapchat to arrange the sale of a moped. Prosecutor Joel Smith KC told the court the pair had "haggled" over the price, eventually settling on £180.

However, when they met to complete the transaction on Friday, 24 May 2024, the deal went wrong. The court was told that Kamari reneged on the agreement, taking the defendant's cash before driving away without handing over the bike.

"In short, he took the money and ran," Mr Smith told the jury. The prosecutor added that the defendant was left feeling "pretty foolish, pretty embarrassed and, no doubt, pretty angry."

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Minutes after the botched sale, the defendant walked to Kamari’s home to confront him, armed with a 30cm (12in) machete.

The court heard he stabbed Kamari once through the chest, piercing his heart. Although the wounded teenager managed to flee the scene on the moped, he crashed moments later on Bourne Avenue and collapsed.

Police and paramedics attended the scene just after 13:30 BST, finding members of the public attempting in vain to save the dying boy. Despite their efforts, Kamari died at the scene. The killer’s pursuit of the victim was captured on CCTV.