The fall of a Teflon don finally convicted of murder of music boss (2024)

A drug-dealing gangster who was cleared of gunning down two revellers outside a nightclub and beating and stabbing a father to death at a birthday party has been jailed for life after executing a music boss in a drive-by shooting.

Nana Oppong, 43, masterminded and may well have carried out a cold-blooded hit on music manager, father of three and grandfather of two Robert Powell, 50, who was known to friends as 'Fox', on June 13 2020.

Mr Powell, manager of rapper Dutchavelli, was shot eight times with a 9mm pistol as he left a private function with his two adult sons in Roydon, Essex. Oppong then fled the country and became one of the country's most wanted men.

He, along with Israar Shah, 40, denied murder but the pair were convicted by a jury at Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday before being jailed for life on Friday.

It means prosecutors have finally snared Oppong, also known as 'Enz', after charging him with three other murders - only to see charges dropped at court in favour of other, lesser offences.

The killer had earlier been accused of murdering two men in a shootout outside a nightclub hosting his birthday party in May 2010, and of slaying a father of two following a party in east Londonin May 2014.

In both cases the drug dealer, now described by police as a 'committed and high-level criminal' was convicted of lesser charges.

The May 2010 shootout took place outside a nightclub where Oppong was celebrating his birthday.

It saw the streets of Forest Gate covered in blood and bullet casings after revenge attacks that jurors were told showed 'complete disregard for the public'.

Eugene Brown, 27, and Patrick Ford, 36, died in the gun battle at the hands of Michael Smith outside the Sugar Lounge venue.

Smith had been shot six times by Powell during the firefight - including once in the head - and was dumped outside a hospital to be treated after the violence.

He was given two life sentences at the Old Bailey and ordered to serve a minimum of 34 years following the trial in September 2012.

Kevin Powell, meanwhile, was found guilty of attempting to murder Smith and jailed for 24 years.

William Boyce, then-QC, prosecuting, told the jury: 'Mr Smith must be one of the most fortunate men alive. He has no right to be alive.

'Mr Powell had taken the law into his own hands and had gone out to exact his own revenge. He peppered Mr Smith with bullets but still did not manage to kill him.'

Oppong, however, initially got off scot-free. He had been charged with murder and a firearms charge at trial in 2011 having allegedly handed a gun to Smith and pointed out Eugene Brown.

But two juries failed to reach verdicts on the murder and gun charges. Oppong was eventually jailed for two years after being found guilty of perverting the course of justice for lying to police following a 2012 retrial.

Two years later, Oppong was arrested again after young father Ashley Latty was stabbed and beaten to death outside the Beaver Centre function hall in Dagenham on May 18 2014.

Mr Latty, 25, 'never stood a chance' against his attackers, who had been rounded up by thug Nicholas Terrelonge after recognising the victim as having stolen from him in the past.

As he stepped out of the Beaver Centre at 5.30am following a birthday party, he was set upon by a group of men who kicked, punched and stabbed him. The fatal knife wound pierced his heart at the start of the attack, which lasted more than a minute.

Oppong was among the group that laid into Mr Latty with what prosecutors called 'real, venomous hate-fuelled force'.

But he was cleared of the original charge of murder after admitting a lesser charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

And as Terrelong and Tyler Burton were jailed for life for murder, and co-conspirators Kestrel Dyer and Jerome Joseph were sentenced to six-and-a-half and six years for GBH with intent, Oppong was jailed for just four years in April 2015.

He denied knowing his co-conspirators - but said he had been 'flattered' to be asked to be involved. He said he had not been aware that one of the party was carrying a knife.

Oppong then remained off of the radar for six years - until he and Israar Shah gunned down Robert Powell in Roydon in June 2020.

He had plotted to take out Mr Powell for several weeks, his trial at Woolwich Crown Court had heard - having considered a hit at a block party in Beckton, east London, a week earlier until put off by the presence of 'fed,' or police.

A message sent on 5 June to Oppong's Encrochat device read: 'So how do we plan to do this if you intend to do this? I'm sick of the acting bro. It's f****** annoying.'

He, Shah and other people who have not been identified then travelled to the party on Water Lane in three cars: a Ford Kuga with a cloned number plate, an unregistered Vauxhall Zafira and a Toyota Prius.

Shah, in his Prius, was the lookout - and as Mr Powell stepped out of the venue with his two sons, the Kuga containing Oppong drove up the road towards the music boss.A gunman then stepped out and fired at the victim eight times.

Prosecutors described it as an 'execution' - adding that one bullet struck two female bystanders.

Mr Powell died a day after the hit after being treated for his eight bullet wounds in the back of a Ford Mondeo at the scene - in front of his horrified sons.

One of the women struck later told the trial that the bullet passed clean through her before embedding itself in her friend's ankle.

She said: 'I saw two holes, I could see my flesh. I thought I was going to die to be honest with you.'

With the execution complete, Oppong and Shah fled the UK. In the hours after the hit, Oppong scrubbed a 'significant' amount of data from his Encrochat app. But police traced Shah's Prius and the Kuga - and their inquiries began.

Oppong became one of Britain's most wanted men. An Interpol Red Notice was issued urging international police to arrest him on sight and he topped an NCA 'Most Wanted' list.

Scotland Yard wanted to find him for other reasons too - after an international crime-fighting taskforce cracked open the Encrochat app and took down hundreds of criminals who believed they were using a hidden chat platform.

Oppong's Encrochat messages, obtained by police who infiltrated the platform, suggested he had discussed getting hold of 9mm ammunition of the same type used to kill Mr Powell and was also involved in dealing cocaine.

The killer, however, disappeared for two years. He was finally found trying to enter Morocco from Spain on false papers in September 2022 after travelling there in the back of a lorry.

Morocco's General Directorate for National Security, aware of the Red Notice, recognised him at Tangier Port and took him in. He was returned to the UK in June last year to finally face trial.

Shah was found in Spain in December 2022 and returned to the UK in March 2023.

Oppong, of Stratford, east London and Shah, of Brentwood, Essex, denied but were convicted of murder and possession of a weapon with intent to endanger life.

Oppong also denied but was convicted of wounding with intent, in relation to a female bystander, and possession of a prohibited weapon.

He earlier admitted conspiracy to supply class A drugs between 13 March 2020 and 12 June 2020.

On Friday, Oppong was sentenced to life in prison, serving a minimum of 38 years. Shah will serve at least 26 years before he becomes eligible for parole.

Mr Justice Bennathan said Oppong was 'probably the gunman' and described Shah as a 'useful idiot' as he passed sentence.

Jailing Oppong for life with a minimum of 38 years the judge told him: 'You are an extraordinarily dangerous man. You were living a wealthy lifestyle on the back of other's misery through the supply of drugs.

'In 2010 a friend of yours shot two men dead and you being present at the scene lied to protect the murderer.'

Jailing Shah for life with a minimum of 26 years the judge said: 'You were brought into this plan late and you may have played a role as a useful idiot.'

The two killers showed no trace of emotion as they were led from the dock.

In a statement released by Essex Police on Friday, Mr Powell's sister said his death had 'fractured' her family.

She asked: 'To the two people who have been convicted of Robert's death, we still have so many unanswered questions - the main one being: Why did you do this? What did you achieve?

'These questions cause us more pain and make this whole situation worse. Firstly, you flee the country, this meant we were constantly wondering when you would be found.

'By going on the run, it has delayed this process and made me, my family and the friends of Robert live part of this nightmare longer than we should have. You both have caused so much pain, and ripples of that are still being felt today.

'I haven't seen any remorse from either of you throughout this (trial). I only hope as you spend the best years of your life in prison, you come to realise the implications you have had on mine, my families and even your own life.'

Essex Police is still investigating the murder, believing others were involved in the killing that have not yet been brought to justice.

But when it comes to Nana Oppong - the Teflon don - detectives are pleased to have pinned him down on murder charges that finally stuck.

DS Stephen Jennings, of Essex Police's Serious Crime Directorate, said: 'This murder was unusual in its level of sophistication, organisation and brutality.

'It was not a spontaneous act of violence, but rather a planned and carefully coordinated execution.

'While we may never know why the defendants carried out this murder, it is clear Oppong held a grievance against Robert Powell and was committed to seeing him killed.

'Oppong is a committed and high-level criminal, and thought he could use his knowledge of law enforcement tactics and encrypted messaging to evade justice.'

'He has refused at every turn to accept any responsibility for his actions in arranging this killing.

'Shah lied about his presence at the scene, telling the jury he was there to deal drugs. Thanks to the evidence we gathered, the jury saw through this lie.

'These sentences do not mark the end of our investigation. We know, and the evidence is clear, others were likely involved in Robert's murder, and we will continue to work to see them identified and arrested.'

Specialist prosecutor Samantha Wooley of the CPS said Oppong had acted as the 'mastermind' in the case while David Cater of the NCA said of his extradition: 'This is one of many examples that show there is nowhere for offenders to hide.'