Man guilty of fatal shooting less than a year after being cleared for stabbing death

A man has been found guilty of a fatal shooting less than a year after being cleared of another murder.

In April 2023, 22-year-old Tyrese Miller was shot in the chest at close range.

Drug trafficker Denzel Kwateng has been cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter after a jury deliberated for more than 41 hours.

In 2022, the 22-year-old was acquitted of the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Denardo Samuels-Brooks following an Old Bailey trial.

At the second trial, Kwateng claimed in his defense that he only pointed the gun at Mr Miller as a prank when it went off without him pulling the trigger.

A jury also found Kwateng, of New Addington, south London, guilty of possessing a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life and perverting the course of justice.

Co-defendants Kavaun Morrison, 19, and Manuel Paulo, 20, from Tooting; they were acquitted of murder and possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life.

Ky-mani Elliott, 21, from Lewisham; and Azariah James-Gulston, 21, of Croydon; were cleared of perverting the course of justice after being accused of helping to destroy a Toyota car used in the crime.

Cheick Cisse, 39, from Croydon, and a 17-year-old, who cannot be identified due to their age, were convicted of possessing a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life.

A sentencing hearing will be held on July 4.

Kwateng had originally been arrested for the murder of Denardo, who was found fatally wounded in Prentis Road, Streatham, south London, on June 10, 2021.

At an earlier trial, Kwateng admitted he had an offensive weapon but claimed he stabbed Denardo in “self-defense.”

A jury deliberated for 16 hours to find Kwateng and three others not guilty of his May 2022 murder.

Less than a year later, Mr Miller was shot dead with a shotgun at close range in Mitcham, south London.

The prosecution argued that the killing was motivated by revenge for the stabbing of a man in south London last April 3.

After surviving, the victim – who cannot be named for legal reasons – did not want the police involved and instead went to his friends, who responded quickly, jurors heard.

In just two and a half hours, Kwateng got a gun, while Morrison and Paulo brought in a stolen car with fake plates.

They traveled through south London to the area where their friend was stabbed, jurors were told.

Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC said: “When they got to Mitcham they drove after a young man called Tyrese Miller and when they caught up with him they shot and killed him. He was shot in the chest with a rifle at close range.”

Mr Emlyn Jones said it was clear Mr Miller was not involved in the stabbing and was enjoying a night out in a pub with friends at the time.

After the shooting, the car was set alight on playing fields, jurors heard.

The 17-year-old and Cisse raised the gun but were caught by police with it in the back of an Uber, the court was told.

Giving evidence, Kwateng said he did not know the gun was loaded and only pointed it at the victim “to scare him”.

He told jurors about his previous acquittal, saying the case involved a knife fight in June 2021 in which he was injured in the shoulder and another young man died.

Kwateng told jurors: “Because I was acquitted of murder, I was attacked every time I bumped into them. I would be attacked and chased.”

He said his pursuers had knives and that one of the attacks resulted in him being wounded in the armpit.