Three men accused of murdering a promising young footballer have been acquitted.
Daniel Riley, 22, of Caledonian Road, Holloway, and Matthew Lanihun, 21, of Megan Court, Holloway, as well as Koffi Osimeh, of Heron Drive, Hackney, were accused of being part of a gang which knifed 17-year-old Godwin Lawson to death in Hackney during March last year.
The trio admitted being at the scene of the killing near Stamford Hill station but denied having anything to do with Mr Lawson’s murder and the stabbing of his two friends.
A jury found Moise Avorgah, 21, of St Ann’s Road, Tottenham, guilty of murder and two counts of wounding with intent and he was jailed for a minimum of 19 years.
But the jury could not reach a verdict on the three other accused and the case went to a retrial, at which Mr Riley, Mr Lanihun and Mr Osimeh were all cleared of murder and two counts of wounding with intent.
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