Two Men Found Guilty of Murder in Fatal Drive-By Shooting at London Church
Two men have been convicted of murdering an innocent woman and injuring two additional individuals in a drive-by shooting outside a wake at a London church. Perry Allen-Thomas and Amir Salem were found guilty of murder and two counts of attempted murder following a trial at the Old Bailey.
Details of the Tragic Incident
The shooting occurred on December 14, 2024, outside the River of Life Pentecostal church in Willesden, north London. Michelle Sadio, a 44-year-old mother of two and legal administrator, was among approximately one hundred mourners attending a wake for 80-year-old Dianne Boatong. The gathering included children as young as five years old.
At around 9 p.m., as guests stood on the pavement, a black Kia vehicle pulled up and multiple shots were fired into the crowd. Michelle Sadio was fatally wounded and pronounced dead at the scene. Two other individuals sustained serious injuries: Kenneth Amoah, a Transport for London contractor, was shot in the back and paralyzed below the waist, while Kadeem Francis, a self-employed man, was shot in the foot.
Investigation and Trial Proceedings
The prosecution alleged that the intended target of the attack was a rapper known as Trapstar Toxic, whose real name is Adetokunbo Ajibola. Four individuals—Perry Allen-Thomas, Amir Salem, Shaquille Sutherland, and Tahjin Sommersall—were initially charged with murder and attempted murder in connection with the shootings. Sommersall faced an additional charge of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.
All four defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges. During the trial, evidence revealed that at least four shots were fired from the Kia, though it remains unclear who specifically pulled the trigger. The prosecution argued that Allen-Thomas and Sutherland orchestrated the shooting, despite not being present at the scene. Salem was accused of assisting in disposing of the vehicle and acting as a communicator between the car's occupants and the other defendants on the night of the incident.
The vehicle used in the attack had been stolen and was equipped with false license plates. After the shooting, it was doused in petrol—supplied by Salem—and set ablaze. The firearm involved was described as a "gang gun" and had been used in two prior incidents in the preceding months, including one outside a pizzeria where eleven rounds were fired and one person was injured in the ankle. There is no indication that the defendants in this case were connected to those earlier events.
Verdict and Sentencing
On Tuesday, the jury delivered its verdict, convicting Perry Allen-Thomas and Amir Salem of murder and two counts of attempted murder. Shaquille Sutherland, also known as rapper Lil Shak, and Tahjin Sommersall were acquitted of all charges. Sommersall had testified that he was not in the Kia at the time of the shooting, claiming to have been on a council estate in Wembley instead.
Mrs Justice McGowan has remanded Allen-Thomas and Salem into custody pending sentencing, which is scheduled for a later date. The two other individuals allegedly in the car during the shooting—Ibrah Sayed and Hassan Mohammed—are believed to have fled the country, and their current whereabouts remain unknown to authorities.
