Muhammed Cabdiqaadir, 25, is accused of murdering 19-year-old Rinneau Perrineau in Lavender Hill, South West London, on October 21 of last year. The Old Bailey heard that Cabdiqaadir killed the teen after Mr Perrineau hit his car with a windbreaker following an altercation at Thirsty Camel Food and Wine shop.
Prosecution details the events
Prosecutor Brian O’Neill KC told jurors that the defendant had arrived at the store at around 3.05pm on the day of the incident. He said that Mr Perrineau entered at around 3.12pm and asked the shopkeeper if he could sell him an iPhone. The store worker then witnessed Cabdiqaadir, Mr Perrineau and a third man, named as Nijab Rage, arguing before leaving the premises at around 3.17pm.
The court heard that outside, Cabdiqaadir got into his blue Citroen and started driving towards Clapham Junction. The other two men had remained arguing outside the shop. Cabdiqaadir then returned and Mr Rage got into the passenger seat of his car, Mr O’Neill KC said. At that point, Mr Perrineau picked up a windbreaker which was on display outside a neighbouring store and hit the vehicle as the pair began to drive away.
U-turn and confrontation
Cabdiqaadir started travelling towards Clapham Junction railway station before performing a U-turn and heading back in the direction of the shop. The defendant parked the car on the bend of a road and the pair exited the vehicle to inspect it for any damage, the prosecutor said. Jurors were told that the victim – who had returned to the shop after the initial altercation – had began walking up that same road. As Mr Perrineau approached the corner, the Citroen came into view. Jurors heard the car stopped and the driver’s door opened and then closed.
It was said that Mr Perrineau ran around the back of the car and Cabdiqaadir – who was wearing a green hoodie and dark coloured bottoms – exited the vehicle. Mr O’Neill KC said that Cabdiqaadir could allegedly be seen holding a small, pointed object in his right hand, which the prosecution say is a knife. An eyewitness described seeing the defendant “lurch forward towards the other male” before driving off “pretty quickly” afterwards.
Victim's final moments
Mr O’Neill KC said the two men had left Mr Perrineau “bleeding from his chest in the street”. It was heard that when the police arrived, they asked the victim how he had been injured, to which Mr Perrineau responded: “I don’t know, I think a knife.” The victim was subsequently taken to St Georges’ Hospital and died three days later on October 24.
The defendant was arrested at an Esso service station in the Slough area on October 25, the court heard. When asked for his name by a police officer, he said “no comment”, and upon being arrested and cautioned, he allegedly said “are you sure it was me?” Cabdiqaadir was charged with murder on October 26 and jurors heard that during his first court appearance, he shouted out that “it was self-defence”.
Prosecution's argument
Mr O’Neill KC said: “The prosecution submit that you can be sure that he was not acting in lawful self-defence because it’s clear from the CCTV that it was Mr Cabdiqaadir who was the one armed with a knife and Rinneau Perrineau was not.” Cabdiqaadir, of Wandsworth, denies murder and possession of a bladed article. The trial continues.
