UK: 32 year old Nigerian-born music manager killed by robbers over‘ fake’ £300k watch

According to what the London court heard, a Nigerian-born music manager was stabbed to death after commemorating his birthday with a “designer watch” which cost up to £300,000.

The 32 year old Emmanuel Odunlami was assasinated by 3 robbers after departing the Haz restaurant near St Paul’s Cathedral in the City of London, where he hosted the party to commemorate his birthday on May 1, 2022, the London court heard. 

The security guard, Kavindu Hettiarachchi reportedly notified the attackers that Odunlami was putting on a Patek Philippe Nautilus watch worth between £90,000 and £300,000 if genuine.

The attorney, Duncan Atkinson KC, during the court session stated that it is certain that the watch “may have not been genuine.”

However, he further added that the robbers regarded the item as though it was original.

In the words of the attorney, he said;

“Sadly, as it was to turn out, he liked expensive brand watches. At the time when he was fatally attacked, he was wearing a Patek Philippe Nautilus watch.” 

“If real, such a watch could be worth anything in a range from £90,000 to £300,000.

“It is believed the deceased’s watch may not have been genuine, but was treated as genuine by those who sought to take it.”

Hettiarachchi was a vital member of the security team recruited by the event’s organizer, Playhxuse, for the private ticketed brunch and afterparty with DJ. Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson KC said.

“It was part of his role to protect the safety of those, like Odunlami, who were attending the event. In fact, he did the opposite,” the court was briefed.

The deceased, popularly called Jay by his friends, had on the day of his death drove to the city in his grey hatchback Mercedes to commemorate his birthday with pals, having ordered tickets for a £1,400 table.

According to Dailymail, as the evented ended around 11 p.m, Hettiarachchi was captured on camera filming outside the venue and calling Louis Vandrose.

According to what the court heard, with altered number plates from north west London, Vandrose and Jordell Menzies were then driven by Quincy Ffrench in a white Mercedes

The Atkinson said:

“The evidence shows that Vandrose, Menzies and Ffrench were setting off in a car with a disguised registration in order to carry out a robbery, and their target was at the Haz restaurant where Hettiarachchi was working, and to which by phone he had summoned them.’’

In accordance to reports, the security guard recorded the victim and his “high-value” watch before appearing to input something into his phone.

The Prosecutor said;

“The prosecution case is that he was making those other defendants aware of Mr Odunlami and his watch, in order that they could rob him of that apparently very valuable item.”