Ten years for Brixton firearms offences

Kojo Kyei-BAMFO
Kojo Kyei-BAMFO

A man who fired a gun while he was running away from two police officers in Brixton has been sentenced to ten years in jail.

Kojo Kyei-Bamfo, 26, of no fixed abode, appeared at the Old Bailey today (10 August) after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to resist arrest, possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition.

He was sentenced to a total of ten years’ imprisonment with an extended three-year licence period.

Detectives from the Metropolitan police Trident and area crime command investigated after two plain clothes officers saw Kyei-Bamfo and another man running along Sandmere Road, Brixton (which runs parallel to the Clapham end of Ferndale Road), at about 4.30am on 3 April last year.

One of the officers saw Kyei-Bamfo had a revolver in his hand and heard a shot being fired.

After climbing over a series of garden walls, Kyei-Bamfo managed to escape capture. Later that day he boarded a flight to Nigeria.

A search of the area revealed a black Smith and Wesson revolver, containing three unfired rounds of ammunition, as well as a blue jacket with a key to a BMW which was used by Kyei-Bamfo.

In May July 2016, a £10,000 reward for information that would lead to his arrest was announced.

Kyei-Bamfo was arrested in Wateringen, Holland, on 8 March and extradited to the UK.

He was linked to the scene of the shooting by DNA evidence, including blood stains he left on a wall inside a flat he walked through to escape from police.

He was also positively identified in an ID parade by one of the police officers involved in the pursuit and a local resident.

On 5 May, he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition. He pleaded guilty to plea to possession of a firearm with intent to resist arrest on 24 July.

Kyei-Bamfo said he had deliberately aimed the gun shot away from the officer chasing him, adding that he had panicked and fired the gun to frighten the officers and avoid arrest.

Detective constable Dermot Corcoran said: “Kyei-Bamfo showed a complete disregard for the safety of the two officers by firing a shot as he ran away from them.

“Fortunately, the shot missed and they were unharmed, but this was an extremely frightening experience.

“Kyei-Bamfo attempted to evade justice by fleeing the country but, thanks to good partnership work with the Dutch police service, we were able to arrest him and extradite him back to the UK.

“The lengthy jail sentence handed to Kyei-Bamfo reflects the severity of this crime and the potentially fatal consequences of firing a gun.”

Acting detective superintendent Mike Balcombe, of the Trident and area crime command, said: “This conviction demonstrates Trident officers will do everything in their power to catch and prosecute those who commit firearms offences”.

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