A third individual has been formally charged in connection with the 2018 murder of Joshua Boadu in Bermondsey, marking a significant development in a case that has spanned years and continents.
Extradition and Charges
Matthew Adebiyi, aged 25, was extradited from Nigeria and charged with murder on April 15, according to the Metropolitan Police. Adebiyi is accused of participating in the fatal attack on 23-year-old Joshua Boadu on Linsey Street on June 11, 2018.
He is scheduled to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court later today, bringing renewed legal proceedings to a case that has already seen two other perpetrators convicted.
The Fatal Incident
Police allege that Adebiyi acted as part of a group alongside Denilson Davis and a then 16-year-old boy. The attack occurred on a Southwark housing estate, where Joshua was stabbed in the chest while being pushed against a parked car.
Despite his injuries, Joshua managed to escape and seek refuge in a nearby house as emergency services rushed to the scene. Paramedics transported him to hospital in critical condition, but he succumbed to his injuries ten days later.
Previous Convictions
Denilson Davis and the teenage accomplice were found guilty of murder at the Old Bailey in September 2019. Davis received a 21-year prison sentence, while the younger defendant was sentenced to 15 years.
The court heard that Davis drove to the scene in a hired Peugeot with the 16-year-old as his passenger. CCTV footage captured Joshua cycling across Linsey Street just before the stabbing, with the car seen fleeing the area approximately five minutes later.
Family Impact
Witnesses reported that Joshua attempted to shield himself before running away. His family has described the impact of his death as 'astronomical', a loss they will carry for the 'rest of their lives'.
In a heartfelt statement, they expressed: 'Knowing Josh cannot celebrate another birthday or Christmas brings all the emotion back to us. Things that “could have been” are amongst the hardest of things to forget and move forward when you lose a child, brother, uncle and friend like Josh.'
Ongoing Investigation
The extradition and charging of Adebiyi demonstrate the Metropolitan Police's continued efforts to pursue all individuals involved in this tragic case. The legal process now moves forward as Adebiyi faces the justice system.
