Teen accused of murdering boy during ‘gang feud’
THREE ON TRIAL AFTER FATAL STABBING OF JAYDON JAMES TWO YEARS AGO
A TEENAGER stands accused of the murder of a 16-year-old boy as part of a “postcode” gang war.
Bongani Ngoz is one of three men charged over the death of Jaydon James, from Coventry, who died of a single stab wound after being attacked in Wood End, in the city, in November 2018.
The 18-year-old, of Rosemary Way, Hinckley, was detained in January 2019 by police, who recovered a phone containing web searches allegedly related to the incident.
Prosecutor Michael Burrows QC told jurors at Warwick Crown Court that Ngoz had acted together with Abdirazac Hussein Abdi and Frank Kenfack to murder Jaydon.
The court heard the victim was stabbed to death after gang members involved in an “ongoing feud” drove to a rival group’s territory.
Opening the case against the three defendants – who are charged with wounding two of Jaydon’s friends as well as murder – on Monday, Mr Burrows said one of the accused was shot before and after the fatal stabbing.
He invited the jury to consider whether revenge may have been a motive, after violence involving the RB7 and C2 gangs.
Mr Burrows told the court the C2 gang’s “perceived territory” was the CV2 postcode, which includes Wood End, while RB7’s members came from areas in and around Coventry city centre.
He said: “On the night of Saturday, November 24, 2018, Jaydon James was with friends in Wood End.
“A black Peugeot car pulled up near them, some men ran from the car and chased Jaydon and his friends.
“Many of his friends got away but Jaydon James did not.
“He ran down a drive by the side of a church. Those chasing him caught him and stabbed him.”
Jaydon died of his injuries a short time later, despite efforts to resuscitate him, while two of his friends suffered slash wounds, Mr Burrows said.
Prosecutors allege CCTV evidence shows Kenfack, aged 18 and of no fixed address, was a front seat passenger in the Peugeot.
Abdi, 20, of Foleshill Road, Coventry, was arrested on December 26, 2018, and is alleged to have had revenge as a motive after being shot in the leg at a party in “C2 territory” in August 2018.
Jurors were told they were the second panel to be sworn in to try the case, after an original trial was abandoned due to lockdown.
Mr Burrows said: “These defendants were acting together and shared an intention to kill or at least cause really serious injury.
“There is a background to this case.
“The RB7 gang is based very much in and around the centre of Coventry… the C2 gang is based in Wood End.
“The rivalry between the two gangs has resulted in a number of incidents of serious violence.”
Two months before his death, the court heard, Jaydon had told his mother that members of RB7 wanted to assault him.
Mr Burrows said: “Later, he told her he had been robbed by lads from RB7.
“He said they had punched him and stolen his phone and coat.
“Of course, Jaydon James is not here to tell us who attacked him on the night he was killed, but from what he told his mother, it’s clear he had been targeted and attacked by lads he identified as being from RB7.”
All three defendants deny murder and two counts of wounding with intent.