Chilling unsolved murder of man shot dead with body found day later in garden

Each year, the Metropolitan Police handle dozens of murder cases, often arresting suspects and bring the perpetrators to justice within a few months. Of the 127 homicides in London in 2021, only 12 remain unsolved with the police continuing to appeal for information.

For some families however, they have had to wait decades without ever knowing what happened to their loved ones. Such is the case of Dipo Seweje, a 20-year-old man who had been living in Walworth and was discovered in a communal garden after being shot on Boxing Day 2007.

Earlier that day, the Nigerian-born asylum seeker had visited Chartridge House on the infamous Aylesbury estate with a friend. The pair had become separated in the stairwell between the blocks of flats, after they were shot at by a man in a hooded top.

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Police said that they believed Dipo had been shot at around 4pm on Boxing Day, whilst his friend succeeded in fleeing the scene. He returned home and told the police during the early hours of December 27 that he had not seen Dipo since the incident.

After more than 24 hours, his body was discovered at 6.10pm and it was clear that he had been murdered by a gunshot to the head. In a BBC report from 2007, members of the local community had expressed “disappointment” that it took so long for the police to find his body.

During the subsequent murder investigation, officers under the Met Police’s Operation Trident made the discovery that the same murder weapon had been used to kill heavyweight champion James Oyebola five months previously. The British and Nigerian professional boxer had been shot in the back of the neck and leg with a Baikal 9mm pistol in the early hours of July 23, 2007, in a dispute over the newly enforced smoking ban.

The Commonwealth Games bronze medallist had been out drinking with a friend in Fulham Broadway, when he had gone over to assist staff who were having difficulties with a group of customers. They were being asked to put out their cigarettes and had refused, leading the dad-of-two to intervene. He was shot as they left the premises.

Oyebola’s family decided to turn off life support four days later after he was declared brain dead. Kanyanta Mubanga Mulenga was jailed in October 2008 for a minimum term of 28 years for the “senseless” pub shooting, whilst charges against two others were dropped.

Despite this, Dipo’s killer had never been brought to justice and remains at large to this day. A man was initially arrested and charged, but the case was eventually dropped and no conviction was made. In 2009, Southwark Deputy Coroner Gail Elliman recorded a verdict of unlawful killing.

If you have any information regarding the murder of Dipo, contact the Met Police on 101 or you can anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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