A heartless killer was given a life sentence - a judge decided it wasn't enough

-Credit: (Image: GMP)
-Credit: (Image: GMP)


The Solicitor General has welcomed a ruling by the Court of Appeal increasing the prison sentence of a murderer who stabbed a 'peacemaker' to death in Manchester. As reported in the Manchester Evening News, judges in London last week ruled Raami Mohamed's initial sentence was 'unduly lenient'.

Mohamed killed 22-year-old Badri Issa in the street in Moss Side following a 'chance' encounter. Mr Issa, who had dreams of becoming a mechanical engineer, was heading to the gym with a pal when Mohamed gestured to his friend to pull over.

The trial at Manchester Crown Court heard that Mohamed and Mr Issa's friend had previously been in a dispute over a car. After stopping their vehicles, the pair became involved in a stand-off. Mr Issa, acting as a peacemaker, got in between them and told them to 'chill'. As tensions rose, Mohamed pulled a knife and stabbed Mr Issa in the chest.

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Mohamed, 22, of Fairy Lane, Salford, was found guilty of murder following a trial. A second man, Kevell Blake, 20, of Bronshill Drive, was acquitted of murder, but found guilty of manslaughter. He was present at the time and prosecutors said he ‘assisted and encouraged’ Mohamed in the killing. He has not been sentenced yet.

In June, Mohamed was sentenced to life in prison, to serve a minimum of 18 years behind bars. The Attorney General referred the sentence to the Court of Appeal, arguing it was 'unduly lenient'. Judges sitting at the court have now increased his sentence by three years, so he will serve a minimum of 21 years.

Raami Mohamed -Credit:PA
Raami Mohamed -Credit:PA

Solicitor General, Sarah Sackman KC MP, has now welcomed the ruling and described a 'senseless and heartless' murder. She said: "Raami Mohamed's senseless and heartless murder of Badri Issa in broad daylight was appalling, especially against someone who was trying to act as the peacemaker. I would like to express my deepest condolences to Badri Issa’s friends and family.

"The courts have rightly increased Mohamed’s sentence demonstrating the lengths we will take to make sure criminals like Raami Mohamed are off our streets."

Lord Justice Males, sitting alongside Mrs Justice May and Mr Justice Bryan, said: “This is a case where the offender took a knife to the scene and used it by striking the victim in the centre of his chest. In those circumstances there was a clear risk of death, even if that was not intended, and in the event the offender’s actions made it closer to inevitable.”

William Emlyn Jones KC, representing the Attorney General, told the hearing that while Mohamed’s youth was given as a reason for shortening the original sentence, 'character testimonies suggested the opposite' should have happened.

The barrister added: “This was a mature and potentially impressive young man. It’s a tragedy that this has been thrown away because he went out with a knife and he stabbed an innocent young man in the chest. Only because he did those things has a young man died."

In increasing the sentence, the judge said: “Though this was a chance incident, this remains a case where the offender had a knife with him available for use if necessary. He did not have to go out armed with a knife and he initiated the encounter."