Man who stabbed buddy to demise ‘over debt’ after nightclub journey jailed for all times
Fawaz Abdulkareem fatally stabbed Daniel Manuel three times at his flat in Vauxhall, London, following an argument about money. He has been sentenced to life behind bars
Daniel Manuel was fatally stabbed by a friend(Image: MET)
A man who fatally stabbed a 32-year-old over a debt has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years, police confirmed.
Fawaz Abdulkareem, 36, murdered Daniel Manuel at his flat on Bondway, Vauxhall, on July 5 last year, the Metropolitan Police announced following his sentencing on Friday. Mr Manuel and Abdulkareem had spent the evening at a nightclub, returning with a group of friends to Abdulkareem’s flat in the early hours of the morning.
Following a dispute over money, Mr Manuel was stabbed three times with a kitchen knife, the force added. After the attack, Abdulkareem left the flat with the knife still tucked into his trouser waistband, removing his T-shirt and using it to conceal the weapon when he reported Mr Manuel’s injuries to staff in the communal lobby, the Met said.
When Abdulkareem realised emergency services were en route, he attempted to discard the blade out of the window on the 14th floor, but one of the responding officers noticed Mr Manuel’s blood on his clothing and arrested him on the spot.
Abdulkareem claimed that he had acted in self-defence, but the nature of Mr Manuel’s injuries suggested he had most likely been stabbed while his back was turned, police said.
Mr Manuel’s wife, Zulal, said: “Daniel was not just my husband, he was my partner, my home, my emotional safety and the person I built my entire life around.
“Losing him in such a violent and sudden way has completely shattered my world. This loss has affected every part of my life, emotionally, physically, financially and I am still trying to survive the aftermath of it.”
Detective Inspector Luke Hampton, who led the Met investigation, said: “Daniel was murdered in a moment of extreme violence by a man he thought was his friend.
“Abdulkareem tried to deceive police, recklessly throwing the murder weapon from the window of the 14th floor of a tower block and cruelly claiming it was Daniel who had attacked him.
“Met detectives saw through his lies and worked hard to secure a conviction. Abdulkareem’s claims of self-defence were dismissed by the jury.
“Our thoughts remain with Daniel’s family and hope this sentence gives them a degree of peace.”
Abdulkareem, of Bondway, Southwark, was unanimously found guilty of murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place at Croydon Crown Court on May 21, police said.
He was sentenced on Friday to life imprisonment to serve a minimum of 17 years, the force added.
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