Men jailed after Emmanuel Odunlami fatally stabbed for watch

Emmanuel Odunlami, a 32-year-old music manager from Romford, was set up by a member of security at an exclusive event in the City of London where he had been celebrating his birthday.  

Kavindu Hettiarachichi, who was working as security at the £1,400-a-table event, spotted that Emmanuel was wearing a Patek Philippe Nautilus watch which, if real, was worth between £90,000 and £300,000.  

Jurors were told that he tipped off a team of robbers who attacked Emmanuel after he left Haz restaurant near St Paul’s Cathedral on May 1 last year.  

One of the robbers, 27-year-old Jordell Menzies, stabbed Emmanuel before the group fled the scene in a Mercedes. 

Emmanuel was a self-employed business owner, who had a fiancée and two young children (Image: City of London Police)On Monday (February 12) Menzies, of Tennyson Road in Brent, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 31 years for murder. 

Hettiarachchi, 31, of St Ann’s Road in Harrow, was sentenced to 13 years for manslaughter and robbery. 

Louis Vandrose, of Beulah Road in Thornton Heath, and Quincy Ffrench, of Foyle Road in Tottenham, both aged 28, were sentenced to 15 years each for manslaughter and robbery. 

Emmanuel’s fiancée, Rajbir Kaur, said: "Emmanuel was so smart and a really great hands-on father. We all loved him and miss him so much. 

"To be attacked for the watch he was wearing just doesn’t make sense even now. It was a senseless and unprovoked attack. 

“There has been no remorse from those who did this. It is a tragedy, that we will deal with for the rest of our lives.” 

Stabbed for a fake watch 

Prosecutor William Emlyn Jones KC previously jurors: “The grim and tragic irony of all this is that there is a good reason to think that the Patek Philippe watch wasn’t even genuine.  

“The defendant – although of course he wasn’t to know that at the time – had killed Emmanuel Odunlami for a fake watch.” 

The court was told how the victim, known to friends as Jay, worked in the music industry managing a number of performing artists.  

On the day of his death, he had driven to the City in his grey hatchback Mercedes.  

As well as the fake designer watch, he was wearing a Dior jacket and carried a Goyard bag while others sported Rolex watches, jurors were told.  

As the party drew to a close at around 11pm, Hettiarachichi was caught on camera filming his target outside Haz bar and summoning Vandrose in a phone call.  

After Emmanuel left the restaurant with a friend, the robbers ran at him, the court had heard.  

CCTV footage showed that Menzies twice tried to trip Emmanuel before striking and stabbing him in the heart with a lock knife. 

Emmanuel was on the ground and all three defendants kicked him as he lay defenceless, jurors heard.  

During the attack, Ffrench bent down and took Emmanuel’s watch and was heard to say “got it”.  

The defendants then ran off, leaving the victim with a fatal stab wound to the chest.  

Jordell Menzies who was found guilty of murder (Image: City of London Police)

'I just want to make him proud'

After the sentencing, Emmanuel’s fiancée Ms Kaur said: "I want to thank family and friends and my clients for their understanding. I’m so grateful to our child's school for keeping him grounded and our youngest son's nursery for their support. 

“There are so many charities who have reached out and helped, including Smile for Joel, Victim Support, The Ben Kinsella Trust and Support after Murder and Manslaughter (SAMM). 

“Finally, I'd like to thank the City of London Police for their investigation and bringing us the truth and to the Family Liaison Officers who have been so supportive. 

"I never imagined this happening to us. Knife crime is such a problem, and it is hard to feel safe anymore. 

"I just want to make Emmanuel proud and give our children the best life possible."