A dad was killed in his own home in a ‘frenzied’ stabbing by a knifeman he had repeatedly complained to police about.
Samuel Opokiti knifed Osagie Harrison Aimiyekagbon to death in an ‘entirely unprovoked’ attack, at the shared house the pair both lived at in Levenshulme. Mr Aimiyekagbon, known to friends as Harry, suffered about 50 wounds during the ‘dreadful’ attack.
Manchester Crown Court heard that Harry, 36, a security officer affectionately known as the ‘dancing doorman’, had called police on at least six occasions after Opokiti made threats to kill him and his young son. He also told police that he believed Opokiti had mental health problems.
READ MORE: Two arrested after hospital staff attacked – days after nurse stabbed at Greater Manchester hospital
READ MORE: Man, 37, accused of stabbing nurse at Royal Oldham Hospital appears in court
But Opokiti remained at the property. Medical experts agreed that the 30-year-old was suffering from schizophrenia at the time of the killing. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and is expected to remain at Ashworth High Secure Hospital for the ‘foreseeable future’.
Harry’s loved ones sobbed as his character, which was referred to in documents submitted to the court, was summarised by prosecutor Brian Williams. He said: “What that victim impact statement does is paint a picture of a man who was quite clearly caring, charming and much loved and is missed as a brother and friend. His loss has quite clearly left a hole in their lives which they are struggling to cope with.”
Manchester Crown Court heard that both men lived in a shared house on Rushmere Avenue in Levenshulme. They had their own bedrooms and shared kitchen and bathroom facilities.
Harry was described as ‘caring, charming and much loved’
On Sunday, July 9, 2023, Opokiti had decided not to go to church, as he often did, and instead went to the gym. That morning, Harry had called police after Opokiti had allegedly threatened to kill his son. Later that day, police called Harry back. It was later that evening when Opokiti killed Harry.
He had armed himself in his bedroom with a knife. When Harry emerged on the landing on the first floor of the house, Opokiti did not say anything as he suddenly began the ‘entirely unprovoked’ attack. He tried to get away and made it downstairs to the kitchen, but Opokiti did not stop as Harry fought for his life.
Opokiti ‘may’ have used a second knife from the kitchen. Another resident in the house heard what was happening and saw Harry lying on the floor, seriously hurt. He desperately called 999, just after 8.45pm. Police arrived about ten minutes later, when the attack had ended. Harry had suffered 50 wounds.
Officers banged on the door, and Opokiti opened it. Covered in blood, he told them that Harry was in a ‘bad way’.
“There was nothing sadly that could be done to save Mr Aimiyekagbon, such were the severity of his injuries,” Judge Potter said. Opokiti was arrested, and initially taken to hospital for a cut to his hand but then interviewed at a police station.
He answered no comment and was remanded in prison. Later, he was transferred to Ashworth hospital after his ‘mental health declined further’. Opokiti has been on ‘long term seclusion’ away from others due to the ‘risk of harm to others’ which he presents.
He told doctors that he was ‘controlled by demons’, that they had ‘entered his body’ and told him to kill Harry. The judge said documents submitted to the court showed that Harry was a ‘kind and inspirational’ man. “In this material, Harry is described as a beautiful person who cared for others,” the judge said.
Police at the scene in Levenshulme -Credit:Manchester Evening News
“He was clearly a much loved friend, uncle, son, brother and a father to his own young son.” In his statement, Harry’s brother Uyi told the judge: “I hope you can see what an amazing person Harry was, and how much he was loved.
“Harry is so much more than words written on a piece of paper. What you hear today is a snippet of who he really was. The world has lost an incredible person and has destroyed a family in the process.”
The judge added: “I recognise nothing I can do or say can undo the dreadful events of that evening. There is nothing that can be done to bring Harrison Aimiyekagbon back. No sentence which this court passes can lessen the sense of grief and loss caused to his family or friends.
“Nor does it represent in any way the value of Harrison’s all too short life. I offer those who have suffered grief and loss as a result of those terrible events my personal condolences.”
The court was told that an investigation into the police’s handling of Harry’s complaints about Opokiti is ongoing. Judge Potter said: “It is not the role of this court to determine the appropriateness of the actions of the police, or anyone else in responding to these earlier complaints by the deceased.
“I make it clear that I express no view about this at all, save to say that in circumstances such as this, I expect an appropriate enquiry to be undertaken by others to establish whether or not the dreadful events of the evening of July 9, 2023 could have been avoided by earlier or more effective intervention by the authorities, following complaint having been made on each occasion. Those enquiries must be allowed to take their course.”
Opokiti was born in the Netherlands and moved to the UK in 2019 to live with his father. He had been diagnosed with ‘suspected schizophrenia’ in his native country, and was thought to have ‘largely recovered’ after receiving medication.
He was assessed by medics following an incident in the UK in 2021, but there was ‘no evidence of acute mental illness’, the court was told. He had no previous convictions in the UK or the Netherlands.
Judge Potter said that following reports from psychiatrists, Opokiti could be more safely monitored and treated in hospital rather than prison. “Unmedicated, you pose a very real threat to the life and safety of others, a risk that given your unwillingness to take medication, is unlikely to abate any time soon,” Judge Potter said. He said Opokiti would likely remain in a high secure psychiatric hospital for the ‘foreseeable future’.
Opokiti was sectioned to a hospital order under section 37 of the Mental Health Act, with a section 41 restriction order also being imposed. It means that Opokiti can only be discharged with the agreement of the Secretary of State.
After the hearing, Detective Chief Inspector Neil Higginson, from GMP’s Major Investigations Team, said: “It has been more than 18 months since the tragic death of Osagie and I hope today’s sentence gives a sense of closure to his family and loved ones.
“We know just how much his family have been affected by his loss and our thoughts remain with them today as they continue to re-build their lives.”