Mahir Osman murder trial - Somali, Ahmed Farah sentenced for part in “brutal and senseless” public execution

Published: 24 March 2011
by DAVID ST GEORGE

A FOURTH man has begun a life sentence for the “brutal and senseless” public execution of a teenager in Camden Town.

Gang warfare between rival groups of young Somalis led to the “shocking” death of Mahir Osman, an Old Bailey judge said on Friday. Judge Richard Hone, QC, sentenced his “cowardly” killer, Ahmed Farah, to serve a minimum 16 years following his conviction by a jury after a two-week trial for the 2006 murder.

Farah, 24, from Islington, played a leading role in the attack on engineering student Mahir, 18, from Taplow, Adelaide Road, who was known as “Smiley” to his friends. 

A mob of more than 30, all heavily armed, ambushed the 18-year-old on the evening of January 28, a Saturday, and killed him within sight of hundreds of stunned passers-by. 

Mahir was stabbed repeatedly, hit with bottles, sticks and bars, and left dying outside Camden Town Tube Station. 

“He didn’t stand a chance,” said prosecutor Tim Cray.

Mahir was an associate of the Centric Boys from Chalk Farm. His killers were members of the North London Somalis (NLS), based in Tottenham, the court heard. 

Farah is the 16th gang member to be convicted of involvement in the murder.

Three have been given life sentences and the ­others various prison terms on lesser charges. One of them, Faisal Wangita, serving five years, is the son of former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. 

Mr Cray said CCTV footage showed that Farah played a leading role in the “night of horror”. He was carrying a long-bladed bread-knife and was seen to advance on Mahir and strike out at him. 

Farah and others tried to escape the area on a double-decker bus. But police rounded them up.

After being bailed Farah “went to ground”  and was on Britain’s “most wanted” list when police linked his fingerprints with three knives found on the bus.

Last July Farah was arrested at Heathrow as he tried to board a flight for Canada.

He maintained in court that he had been mistakenly identified as a knifeman.