Third man jailed over horror drive-by shooting of father-of-three | UK | News

A third man has also been jailed over a car shooting outside a house party in Essex. Temitope Adeyinka, 41, was sentenced to 19 years in prison after being found guilty of manslaughter following a trial at Woolwich Crown Court.

Dad-of-three Robert Powell, 50, was shot eight times as he left a party in Roydon, near Harlow, in June 2020. Two men were jailed for this murder last year. Essex Police said it believed other unidentified suspects were also involved in the attack. The force said Adeyinka, of Buxton Road in Stratford, east London, acted as a “lookout” looking for Mr Powell.

Sentencing Adeyinka on Thursday, Mr Justice Bennathan said: “You must have known that a team had been formed.

“When you walked outside Hills House you must have known that you were participating in an attack that had been carefully planned for hours.”

Nana Oppong, 45, of West Road, Stratford, and Israar Shah, 41, of Ongar Road in Kelvedon Hatch, Essex, were convicted of Mr Powell’s murder and possession of a firearm in May last year.

Oppong, whom police described as the “chief organiser”, was sentenced to at least 38 years in prison.

Shah, who also acted as a lookout like Adeyinka, was sentenced to at least 26 years in prison.

Oppong was captured in September 2022 after he was found hiding in the back of a truck entering Morocco, while Shah was arrested in Spain three months later.

Adeyinka was also detained in Spain in May 2024.

The suspects were in three different vehicles.

The gunman got out of the vehicle Oppong was in, a Ford Kuga.

Shah and Adeyinka were looking for Mr Powell in the Toyota Prius, which also had a spare vehicle.

Police said each man played his part in organizing or carrying out the murder, abandoning the vehicles used, destroying the phones used and fleeing the country after realizing investigators were closing in.

Police said Oppong had long been determined to kill Mr Powell over a complaint, but the exact nature of this was unknown.

Mr. Powell was shot with a 9mm handgun and died in hospital the next day.

As a result of the fire, two women were seriously injured.

Mr. Powell was a music executive and also a grandfather of two children.

Detective Constable Stephen Jennings, who has led the investigation for the past five years, said: “One by one, Oppong, Shah and most recently Adeyinka were tracked down, arrested and now convicted.

“If you came to Essex with the intention of engaging in organized crime, engaging in gun violence, we will not stop our efforts to find you.”

He added: “However, it is important to note that our investigation is not yet over. It is clear that other suspects, who have not yet been identified, were involved in this shooting incident.”

“Our work continues”

Adeyinka was cleared of murder and possession of a firearm.

according to BBCMr Powell had nine previous convictions and was on licence, after being convicted of supplying Class A drugs when he was killed.

The defense claimed that Adeyinka was unaware that there was a loaded firearm at the scene and that he joined the operation late.

The defense lawyer said Adeyinka was “muscular” and did not exit the vehicle.