Man killed for £300k designer watch ‘which was fake’
Gang had been told music manager’s timepiece was Patek Philippe Nautilus, Old Bailey trial is told
A MUSIC industry manager was stabbed to death for a designer watch that his assailants thought was worth £300,000, but may have been fake, a court has heard.
Emmanuel Odunlami, 32, had been out celebrating his birthday near St Paul’s Cathedral in London when he was targeted by three robbers on May 1 last year, an Old Bailey jury was told. They had allegedly been tipped off about his watch by Kavindu Hettiarachchi, a security guard working at an event at the restaurant Mr Odunlami visited that night.
Mr Hettiarachchi – who was later found to have a collection of fake highvalue watches at his home – told the attackers the victim had a Patek Philippe Nautilus watch which, if real, was worth £90,000-£300,000.
Mr Hettiarachchi, 30, from Harrow, is on trial charged with participation in the robbery and manslaughter, alongside the alleged attackers: Louis Vandrose, Jordell Menzies and Quincy Ffrench.
Mr Hettiarachchi denies the allegations.
Mr Vandrose, 26, from Thornton Heath, Mr Menzies, 26, from Kilburn, and Mr Ffrench, 27, from Tottenham, have admitted robbery and Mr Menzies has admitted manslaughter. They deny murder.
The victim, known to friends as Jay, worked in the music industry managing a number of artists.
On the day of his death, he had driven to the City of London in his grey hatchback Mercedes to celebrate his birthday with friends, having organised tickets for a £1,400 table.
Duncan Atkinson KC, prosecuting, said: “Sadly, as it was to turn out, he liked expensive brand watches. At the time he was fatally attacked, he was wearing an Patek Philippe Nautilus watch. If real, such a watch could be worth anything in a range from £90,000 to £300,000. It is believed the deceased’s watch may not have been genuine, but was treated as genuine by those who sought to take it.”
As the event drew to a close at around 11pm, Mr Hettiarachchi was caught on camera filming outside the venue and calling Mr Vandrose, the court was told. Mr Vandrose and Mr Menzies were then driven by Mr Ffrench to the location.
Mr Odunlami was ambushed, kicked to the floor and stabbed with a flick knife, the prosecutor told the court.
Mr Ffrench was then seen on CCTV bending down and grabbing the watch. Audio on the footage captured him shouting “got it”, the court heard.
Mr Atkinson told the jury that Mr Odunlami tried to stand up after the attack, which was witnessed by his friend, David Manuel. The prosecutor said: “The deceased got up, but had sustained a single stab wound to his heart, and he soon collapsed on the pavement.
“As he did so he said to his friend, Mr Manuel, ‘I’m gone’.”
Members of the public tried to save Mr Odunlami but he was pronounced dead at the Royal London Hospital just after midnight on May 2 2022.
A fifth defendant, Antonios Kfoury, 21, has denied perverting the course of justice by lying to police about his friends’ alleged crime.
The trial continues.