The murder of Seyi Ogunyemi

On the night of 27 April 2009, 16-year-old Seyi Ogunyemi and five friends, associates or members of the ABM (All ‘bout Money) gang based in Stockwell Gardens Estate, London SW9, entered Larkhall Park, Lambeth. The park is contested territory between local gang ABM and a rival gang, 031 (pronounced O-tray), whose members are predominately from neighbouring SW8. The two gangs had been rivals for the previous two years or more. Rivalry between the two groups sometimes precipitated a shoot-on-sight policy. In 2007, five young men aged between 15 and 23, each with links to one of these two groups, were murdered in the local area, with a further young man dying in 2008. Deaths were often linked to ‘respect’ issues, failure to pay debts or ‘slippin’ ‘, the name given to a being in the wrong place at the wrong time – it usually refers to gang members or associates being on rival territory.

By 2009, tensions between ABM and 031 were high. A group of around 12 members of the 031 gang were said to be ‘patrolling their home turf ‘ of the Larkhall Park Estate off Wandsworth Road. Aged between 15 and 21, they were described by witnesses as being ‘on a mission’, dressed in dark, hooded tops with bandanas covering their faces. Among the 12-strong group of 031 members were brothers Chrisdian Johnson (22), Shane Johnson (20) and Darcy Menezes (18). Two aggressive dogs accompanied the gang: an adult female brindle Staffordshire bull terrier (called Mia) belonging to Menezes and an adult male Staffordshire bull terrier–bull mastiff cross (called Tyson). Having spotted Seyi and his friends, and recognising them as ABM members, the 031 gang chased the boys across the park. At this stage, Chrisdian Johnson and Menezes unleashed their dogs, with ‘devastating consequences’. Seyi and his friends scattered, pursued by the dogs. Seyi, weighing 44kgs, tried to escape by scaling a fence, but was caught by Johnson's dog, Tyson, and pulled to the ground. The other dog caught up with 17-year-old Hurui Hiyabu and attacked him on the ground. Both boys were then attacked by the dogs and bitten on the legs.