Rapper killed in revenge plot, court hears

A rapper was shot dead in a "cold-blooded execution" as part of a revenge attack three years after he was cleared of murder, a court has heard.

Tamba Momodu, 20, known as Teerose, was shot six times at point-blank range with a "powerful" 9mm handgun on 13 October 2020 near a gym in Telford.

Stafford Crown Court was told Mr Momodu had moved to Telford in 2018 to start a new life after being acquitted of murdering 19-year-old Abdullahi Tarabi, a rapper known as Teewiz who was stabbed in an alleyway in Northolt in April 2017.

Prosecutors allege Mr Momodu was "stalked" and tracked down by the teenager's older brother and cousin who were intent on revenge.

Mahamud Tarabi, 32, of Whiteleys Parade, Hillingdon, London, and Ahmed Karshe, 30, of no fixed address, are both on trial for murder alongside Deria Hassan, 32, of Ferrymead Avenue in Greenford, London, and Merje Ngoy, 24, of no fixed address.

All four deny murder.

The defendants are said to have found the victim's new location after he was jailed in October 2019 for possession with intent to supply drugs and his address was published in the press.

Prosecutor James Curtis KC said a number of trips had been made to the Telford area in different cars, starting on 2 September 2020.

Eleven of those trips were described as "reconnaissance" before four unsuccessful attempts to carry out the killing were made.

It was on their 16th visit to Telford that they "ambushed" Mr Momodu as he sat in the passenger seat of a friend's car in the car park at Bridges Business Park in Horsehay, outside the Fitness Factory gym.

Mr Momodu's friend had unknowingly parked next to a Skoda Karoq with false plates that had been stolen from London in July 2020, the prosecution said.

At least two people inside wore high-visibility tabards, one of whom exited the vehicle and carried out the shooting, with bullets passing through the victim's back, neck, his heart and his left lung.

"No-one could ever say it was self-defence - it was deliberate and he never stood a chance," said Mr Curtis.

"It was no accident [the killer] had moved to Tamba Momodu's side of the car and no accident the others in the car were untouched."

Later that night, the Skoda Karoq was set alight in a car park close to The Wrekin beauty spot, where earlier that day an Audi A5 had been parked ready to take the killers away from the area, the jury heard.

Mr Hussain has pleaded guilty to arson, while the other three deny the same charge.

In a tribute released after his death, Mr Momodu's family described him as "a smiley charismatic young man who would light up any room he entered".

The trial is expected to last at least eight weeks.

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