Two men have been convicted of murdering a mother of two in a drive-by shooting outside a church wake in north London, in what police described as a “well-orchestrated attack” planned over months.
Perry Allen-Thomas, 27, and Amir Salem, 20, both from Wembley, were found guilty at the Old Bailey of murder and two counts of attempted murder. They were remanded into custody by Mrs Justice McGowan to be sentenced at a later date. Two other men, rapper Shaquille Sutherland, 26, and Tahjin Sommersall, 19, were cleared of all wrongdoing.
A Wake Shattered by Gunfire
The attack unfolded at around 9pm on 14 December 2024 outside the River of Life Pentecostal Church in Willesden. Michelle Sadio, a 44-year-old legal administrator, was among approximately 100 mourners, including young children, attending a wake for 80-year-old Dianne Boatong. As guests stood on the pavement, a black Kia pulled up and at least four shots were fired into the crowd.
Ms Sadio was struck and died at the scene. Two other men were seriously injured: Kenneth Amoah, 39, a Transport for London contractor, was shot in the back and paralysed below the waist, while self-employed Kadeem Francis, 32, was shot in the foot.
The Intended Target and a Gang Gun
According to the prosecution, the intended target was a rapper known as Trapstar Toxic, whose real name is Adetokunbo Ajibola, 33, and who was present at the wake. Ajibola has a history of serious offending; in March 2019 he was jailed for five years for possession of cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply and possession of criminal property. The court heard that his home had contained drugs, cash, and jewellery worth over £60,000, and he was described as playing a leading role in drug markets in the Willesden area.
The weapon used in the church shooting was described during the trial as a “gang gun” and had been used in two previous incidents in the preceding months. In one, the occupant of a car fired 11 rounds at a group outside a pizzeria, hitting one person in the ankle. There was no suggestion the defendants were involved in those earlier shootings, which underscore the broader issue of firearms circulating for criminal use.
Planned Attack and Destroyed Evidence
The court heard that Allen-Thomas helped organise the shooting but ensured he was elsewhere when it happened. Salem was in contact with the occupants of the Kia on the night and reported back to Allen-Thomas, jurors were told. The prosecution alleged that Tahjin Sommersall had been in the Kia with two other men, who fled the country after the incident, though Mr Sommersall denied this and was ultimately acquitted.
The vehicle, which had been stolen and fitted with false number plates, was used to carry out the attack. Afterwards, it was doused in petrol and set alight; Salem had purchased some of the petrol used, the jury heard. The burned-out car was later found abandoned on Barnhill Road.
In a statement following the arrests in January 2025, Detective Chief Inspector Phil Clarke of the Met Police said the shooting was a “well-orchestrated attack that had been planned for several months.” The initial investigation led to the arrest of an 18-year-old man on suspicion of murder that same month, before charges were brought against Allen-Thomas, Salem, Sutherland, and Sommersall.
