Two men have been jailed for life after being found guilty of murdering two friends.

Kaziku Tuwisana, 33, of no fixed address and Besnik Berisha, 43, of Martock Gardens in New Southgate, were found guilty of murdering Arber Fesko, 30, and Shkelqim Paja, 36, following a trial at the Old Bailey.

Today (Friday, July 16) Tuwisana was given a life sentence to serve a minimum of 31 years and Berisha received a life sentence with a minimum of 33 years.

Concurrent sentences of 16 months were also given to both men - Tuwisana for possession of a prohibited weapon and disqualified driving and Berisha for possession of prohibited weapons.

According to the Met Police Berisha and Shkelqim had known each other for around three years prior to the murders.

It is believed that a sum of around £15,000 was owed to Shkelqim by Berisha, causing the friendship to become strained.

Shkelqim raised concerns on December 18 2019, that Berisha was planning something behind his back.

On December 19 Berisha contacted Shkelqim to say that he was ready to pay the owed money back in full.

That same evening Shkelqim went to Courtlands Avenue in Mill Hill in the company of his family friend Arber.

Berisha – who owned a distinctive white Peugeot van – had met with Tuwisana that afternoon in Stratford.

The pair travelled to Highbury where the police said that they entered several hardware shops, purchasing items such as lighter fluid, disposal gloves and cloths.

Berisha’s van was captured on CCTV outside Highbury and Islington station shortly after 7pm.

The van travelled to Courtlands Avenue, where Shkelqim was with his friend.

Two separate witnesses walking along the avenue reported seeing a group of men who appeared to be attacking another man just after 8pm.

Further along the street the witnesses reported a second man had collapsed.

Police were called to the scene but found no one on arrival, however, blood, later found to be Shkelqim’s, was found along with his and Arber’s phones.

Cable ties, a knife and empty knife sheath were also discovered and the knife later forensically linked to Tuwisana and the sheath to Berisha.

Later the police also recovered a knife from Berisha's van, which fitted the sheath found at Courtlands Avenue.

Police also identified an unopened packet of disposable gloves, identical to the ones purchased by Berisha and Tuwisana.

Shortly before being called to the scene, the police received a call from Sophe Lounge Restaurant and Shisha Bar in Hendon on the A1, where Tuwisana reported that he had been attacked as he had suffered a stab wound to the arm.

When police arrived Tuwisana claimed he had tried to intervene in a fight and that he had been attacked and bundled into a black Mercedes car which dumped him at the services.

The car mentioned remained abandoned outside and was later found to be Shkelqim’s.

After searching the car, police found cable ties, a crow bar and the body of Arber, who had been stabbed multiple times.

In a search Tuwisana was found to be in possession of a stun gun and after being taken to hospital for treatment was arrested.

The body of Shkelqim was found the next day on December 20, dumped in a hedgerow in Radlett, Hertfordshire.

Shkelqim’s body had been stabbed multiple times and was found with a baseball cap and cable ties.

CCTV analysis carried out by the police showed Berisha’s van being driven to and from the site where the body was left.

Berisha was initially attested on December 23, 2019 but claimed he had sold the van prior to the murders.

Checks with DVLA revealed a transfer document had been received in relation to the van on December 23.

Police visited the person and address listed on the transfer document but they had no knowledge of the van.

Blood that was found to be Shkelqim’s confirmed that his body had been transported in the van, police said, and Arber’s blood was found on the glove box in the front of the van which revealed that someone with his blood on their hands had touched the area.

Det Sgt Pete Walker said: “Throughout this investigation, the two defendants have refused to say why they carried out this brutal attack on Shkelqim Paja and Arber Fesko.

“However, the weight of evidence my team has gathered has spoken for itself and provided irrefutable evidence that both of these men were involved in carrying out two brutal murders.

“This has been a challenging investigation but the diligence of the evidence gathering and tenacity of the officers involved has ensured Berisha and Tuwisana have been held to account for their actions.

“Nothing will ever bring Shkelqim and Arber back, but I can only hope that these convictions can bring some sense of justice to their families.”