Blog

Five men are alleged to have broken into the home of 25-year-old Olsi Kuka in Whetstone and attacked him with two knives on May 11 last year.

The Old Bailey heard that the victim’s cousin, Alush Kaka, was also injured in the early morning raid.

According to his account, he was sitting in bed when he heard a knock as if the door was being kicked in.

Three of the attackers who entered his room were wearing Covid masks and two had knives, jurors heard.

He was threatened, beaten and stabbed with a knife and had his bed turned up in a register in his bedroom, it is alleged.

After the robbers left, he found his cousin lying on his bed covered in blood, the jury was told.

It was alleged that the apartment had been “ransacked” and that potential “hideouts” were being searched for drugs and money.

The robbers arrived and left the property in two Mercedes cars, the court heard.

Brown said evidence suggested the vehicles had also been used on a “reconnaissance” trip a few days earlier, on May 7.

The five men on trial are Ozan Seran, 27, with no fixed address; Bulent Bakir, 26, of Old Road, Enfield; Santana Thompson, 20, of Aldriche Way, Waltham Forest; Daige Ramsey, 24, from Winchester Road, Waltham Forest and an 18-year-old man from Northamptonshire.

All are charged with murder, battery with intent and conspiracy to steal and deny the charges.

Opening the trial yesterday (March 29), prosecutor Edward Brown KC said: “Olsi Kuka was killed for his ill-gotten gains so the team could use the drugs and money.

“These defendants went out together on the night in question to rob, in fact to rob a drug dealer of his drugs and/or his money.

“They were acting together as a team, and they intended to use whatever force was necessary to carry out the robbery.”

The trial at the Old Bailey continues.

Reporting by PA.