Killer of Putney Teenager Convicted After Second Trial
Hani Solomon was stabbed in front of Parsons Green tube station
Hani Solomon had just completed a Prince's Trust course. Picture: Met Police
December 7, 2022
A man has been convicted of killing 18-year-old Hani Solomon last year after he was tried for the second time.
19-year-old Abdallah Awil of Dairy Close was acquitted of the murder of Hani, who lived in Putney with his mother and his girlfriend, outside Parsons Green tube after a trial in November 2021. The jury could not reach a decision on charge of manslaughter, so a retrial took place at Isleworth Crown Court on Tuesday, 22 November this year.
This time the jury returned a guilty verdict on Monday, 5 December and Awil will now be sentenced at the same court on a date to be confirmed in February 2023.
Two other teenagers will also be sentenced on that date in relation to this case but reporting restrictions were imposed until the completion of Awil’s retrial. 19-year-ol Yousef Chamint of Pitfield Way, NW10 and 20-year-old Ahmed Fatah of Fulham Road, SW6 both pleaded guilty to manslaughter prior to the November 2021 trial.
Hani was stabbed to death on Ackmar Road near the White Horse pub at around 7pm on 11 February 2021. He was found with a wound to his chest but, despite the efforts of paramedics, he died at the scene half an hour later.
Extensive examination of CCTV by Detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command showed the defendants waiting almost ten minutes for Hani to arrive before they met with him and his two friends in Novello Street, opposite the entrance to Parsons Green tube station.
After a verbal confrontation between the groups, Hani walked away with his friends, but they were soon followed by Awil, Fatah and Chamint who chased them into nearby Ackmar Road where Hani was attacked.
Hani was an only child who came to London with his family from Saudi Arabia. He was a talented footballer who had recently completed a Prince's Trust course and had ambitions of going into business. His friends say he was a calm person who was not involved with gangs. His girlfriend Shaheba Ali,, who he met at Hammersmith College says he was awaiting the arrival of his passport so he could take a job at an Amazon warehouse.
Detective Chief Inspector Vicky Tunstall, who led the investigation, said: “Awil, Chamint and Fatah arrived in Parsons Green that evening to seek to attack Hani and came armed with weapons, prepared to inflict the most serious kind of violence.
“This was a completely senseless attack on an 18-year-old who had his full life ahead of him. It has left his family and girlfriend completely distraught. Each of them has spoken about how their lives will never be the same and how they are haunted by what happened to Hani that night.
“None of the defendants have shown any real remorse and did all they could to try and evade justice. They now face significant custodial sentences and we are pleased they will no longer be able to cause any further harm.”
The trio who killed Hani - Abdallah Awil, Yousef Chamint and Ahmed Fatah
At the conclusion of the 2021 trial, Hani’s mother Aster Hagos said, “I would never have thought that on my son’s 19th birthday, I would be holding a vigil for him instead of celebrating his birthday. Hani had many dreams and plans for the future. He would have made each and every one of those dreams come true.
“My life has ended without my beloved Hani, I simply exist. It is so very difficult without Hani to sit at home alone, in solitude. Hani exuded kindness and filled the room with so much joy and happiness. His infectious laughter and smile have been taken from us. My life has changed forever.
“The world was once full of many opportunities, however now without my son, I feel like I have no future. I used to be a happy person and loved life but since Hani’s death I have become a recluse. I often cry for hours alone at home.
“Hani’s death has destroyed our family. I am filled with excruciating pain, sadness and loneliness. I wish that I could have been there for Hani when he took his last breath to comfort him when he was in agony. I was not afforded the chance to tell my son that I loved him just before he passed away.”
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