Robber locked up for life for ‘torture murder’ of man for £30,000 cannabis stash

The Old Bailey heard how a group of men burst into the home of 25-year-old Albanian national Olsi Kuka while he was asleep and ransacked his flat for his stash of cannabis on May 11 2022.

Mr Kuka was shot four times in the head with a BB gun in an apparent attempt to get him to reveal the location of drugs before he was fatally stabbed with two knives in the early morning raid, the court heard.

Mr Kuka’s cousin, Alush Kuka, who was living in the flat in Whetstone, north London, was threatened, punched and slashed in the raid but survived to raise the alarm.

Reuben Bernard, who is now 19 but was 17 at the time, was convicted of murder, wounding with intent and conspiracy to rob.

He is the last of the group involved in the incident to be sentenced and was detained at His Majesty’s pleasure on Tuesday for a minimum term of 22 years.

Judge Lynn Tayton KC called it a “determined and deliberate joint attack”.

Referencing victim impact statements, she described how Mr Kuka’s parents were “very shocked” by the “brutality” of their son’s death and said they are “emotionally and physically devastated”.

The court heard that Alush Kuka has flashbacks to the night of the attack and remembers his cousin “covered in blood”.

“He no longer has the appetite for life that he once had,” Judge Tayton said.

Addressing Bernard, she went on: “I repeat all of this because you should hear what the effect of your actions have been.

“Olsi Kuka was a cannabis dealer but he was also a person with a family who loved him and miss him and whose lives will never be the same because you killed him.”

Sobs could be heard from the public gallery after the judge passed sentence, with a woman who appeared to be close to the defendant telling him “I love you” before he was taken down.

The other defendants were sentenced at previous hearings.

It was alleged they made off with around £30,000 of cannabis but failed to spot nearly £10,000 in cash.

Sunflower-Monty, a black and white springer spaniel, had identified a stash of dirty money, indicating to his police handler by sitting on his hind legs and pointing with his nose.

After bundles of notes were retrieved from the victim’s bed headboard, the dog was rewarded with a soft ball and the words: “Well done Monty.”

Mr Kuka was found in his blood-soaked bed with 10 knife injuries as well as the four metal ball bearings embedded in his scalp.

On Tuesday, prosecutor Philip McGhee called it a “frenzied attack”, adding: “The prosecution case is that it was done to in effect torture Mr Olsi Kuka to make him reveal the whereabouts of the drugs.”

Despite the efforts of medics at the scene, he died from stab wounds to the chest and right leg.

Bernard, of Wootton, Northamptonshire, admitted going into the bedroom but claimed the victim pulled out a gun and held it to the head of another person.

He said he punched Mr Kuka in the face to force him to drop the firearm before someone else killed him.

Bernard, who had a previous conviction for having a knife, claimed he was forced to stab the victim three times to the left shoulder or be stabbed himself.

Jason Pitter KC, defending, argued that although a robbery was committed it was “not a murder done for the purpose of gain”, but the judge said it “clearly” was.

Mr Pitter also said the court could not be sure there was an intention to kill, which the judge accepted.

The barrister highlighted his client’s young age, the “exceptional difficulties” in his upbringing, his “history of being exploited” and the “genuine remorse” he has shown after the events two years ago, in mitigation.

The “organiser” of the attack, Orzan Seran, 29, was sentenced to 11 years and five months after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Kuka and unlawfully wounding Alush Kuka, and being convicted of conspiracy to rob.

Daige Ramsey, 25, of Waltham Forest, who was found guilty of manslaughter, unlawful wounding and conspiracy to rob, was jailed for 11 years.

Santana Thompson, 21, of Waltham Forest, was sentenced to 10 years for manslaughter, unlawful wounding and conspiracy to rob.

Bulent Bakir, 27, from Enfield, was jailed for six years for conspiracy to rob.

The prosecution alleged Seran was an organiser, Ramsey and Bakir were the drivers and Thompson and Bernard had been recruited to help out with the promise of up to £5,000.