A 19-year-old Nigerian, Jackson Uwagboe, has been sentenced to life imprisonment in the United Kingdom for the murder of 21-year-old Robert Robinson in Deptford, south-east London.
Uwagboe, who lived on Hamilton Street, Lewisham, fled to Nigeria immediately after the attack on June 6, 2024, in what authorities described as a “vicious and sustained assault.” He returned to the UK on February 25, 2025, and was arrested at Gatwick Airport.
At the Old Bailey on February 10, Uwagboe was convicted of murder, robbery, and possession of a bladed article. On February 18, 2026, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years.
Two other men involved in the attack—Ryan Wedderburn, 18, and Kirk Harris, 19—had already been convicted in May 2025 and received life sentences with minimum terms of 23 years and 22 years 9 months, respectively.
The Metropolitan Police reported that Robinson suffered 12 severe stab wounds, including defensive injuries indicating he attempted to protect himself. He died at the scene on Carteret Way, Deptford. All three attackers fled the scene, with Uwagboe leaving the country immediately afterward.
Detective Inspector Neil Tovey, who led the investigation, said: “Robert was subjected to a brutal and sustained attack by a group of men armed with knives. He was unarmed, already wounded, and on the ground when Uwagboe attacked him. His claims of self-defense were entirely without foundation.”
Tovey added that the verdicts brought “justice for Robert Robinson and his family,” who endured prolonged legal proceedings due to Uwagboe’s flight from the country.
This case has reignited public debate in the UK over knife crime and the challenges of prosecuting offenders who attempt to evade justice abroad.
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Source: Africa Publicity
