A man who admitted to being a ‘monster’ has been sentenced to a minimum of 18 years in prison for the ‘gratuitous’ killing of a chef, who had been mentored by Gordon Ramsey, at Notting Hill Carnival.
Mussie Imnetu, aged 41, was violently attacked by 31-year-old charity worker Omar Wilson outside the Dr Power restaurant in Queensway, west London, on August 26 of the previous year. Wilson repeatedly punched and kicked Mr. Imnetu during the altercation.
The killer was eventually held back by friends and fled the scene, dropping his sunglasses and the keys to his car and his house.Â
The victim, who had previously worked alongside esteemed chefs Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing, was described as being ‘heavily intoxicated’ at the moment of the attack and passed away in the hospital four days later.
Wilson went out clubbing that night with his friends at the Ministry of Sound and confessed to one of them in a text message, writing:Â ‘There’s a monster in me.. And it’s just like sometimes it comes out. And I think I’ve messed up now* And everything’s finished.
‘I’ve f****d up. I crossed the line and went overboard. I don’t think I can come back from this mistake. I’m going to jail in the morning.’
Wilson, who has two young children, said he acted in self defence, despite CCTV showing Mr Imnetu had not thrown a single punch.
During his Old Bailey trial for murder, Wilson told jurors: ‘I just regret that somebody’s life was taken while I was trying to defend mine.’
Omar Wilson (pictured), 31, punched Mussie Imnetu, 41 to the ground and kicked him as he lay helpless until his friends held him backÂ
Michelin-star chef Mussie Imnetu (pictured), 41, was the head chef of The Arts Club in Dubai and had previously worked under chefs Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing
During the trial, the jury had been shown graphic CCTV footage showing Wilson approaching Mr Imnetu and headbutting him.
About a minute later, Wilson punched Mr Imnetu five times in the head, causing him to fall to the ground.
Wilson continued to punch Mr Imnetu repeatedly while he was on his hands and knees, then kicked him in the head.
The defendant then left and was dropped off outsid the Ministry of Sound nightclub in London.
In the aftermath of the attack, Wilson was asked by friends how the carnival was going, to which he replied:Â ‘Can’t lie. I did the hands ting and I think it’s a manslaughter.’
Following his arrest on August 28, Wilson, of Napier Road, Leytonstone, east London, told police he had struck the victim in ‘self-defence’.
He claimed Mr Imnetu was behaving erratically, harassing girls, and had a bottle.
Judge Katz said his evidence that he believed Mr Imnetu had with him a broken bottle was ‘a deliberate lie’.
Sentencing the defendant for life with a minimum term of 18 years, Judge Philip Katz said: ‘Mussie and those who loved him are the victims in this case and the impact on them of his murder has been severe.
‘His brutal death on the street was captured on CCTV. The footage was deeply shocking to watch.
‘Mussie was defenceless on the ground when you punched and kicked him to death.
‘It needs to be clearly understood that unlawful street violence of this sort impacts on the confidence of members of the public to go out and enjoy themselves. The culpability of those involved in such brazen conduct is significantly raised.’
He continued: ‘You could not control your temper. Only a few seconds after punches were aimed by both of you you tripped Mussie and he fell to the ground and you could have walked away.
‘As he knelt you rained further punches down on his head. You could have walked away.
‘However, you stood up, raised your leg and kicked him hard to the head. Kicking someone to the head when they are defenceless on the ground is abhorrent.’
Mr Imnetu’s wife, Linda, described her husband as ‘respected, admired and loved’ in a pre-recorded victim impact statement played in court.
‘Mussie didn’t just leave behind a legacy for his family, he left an indelible mark on his workplace and community,’ she said.
‘Nothing can undo what has been taken from us. I ask the court to remember the man Mussie was: his character, his integrity and the life he built; not just the circumstances of his passing.’
A short audio recording of Mr Imnetu’s six-year-old son wishing his ‘daddy’ goodbye was also played, which the judge called ‘heart-rending’.
‘I love you,’ the little boy said. ‘Bye bye daddy.’
A group of Mr Imnetu’s loved ones sat in the well of the court for the hearing, and some cried after hearing his son’s recording.
