R v Nana Oppong

Facts

The applicant, Nana Oppong, was convicted on 28 May 2024 following a trial in the Crown Court at Woolwich before Bennathan J and a jury of all four counts on the indictment: the murder of Robert Powell, known as "Fox", who was shot at least eight times as he left a social gathering at Hills House in Essex in the early hours of 13 June 2020 and died of his wounds the following day; possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life; wounding with intent contrary to section 18, the victim being a bystander struck in the leg by a ricocheting bullet; and possession of a prohibited firearm, a Glock pistol, which was never recovered and proved by inference from EncroChat messages. He had earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine. His defence to the shooting counts was that he was elsewhere. The prosecution case was circumstantial, resting on cell-site and burner-phone evidence, ANPR and CCTV footage of a Ford Kuga, a Vauxhall Zafira and a Toyota Prius, and EncroChat material. A co-defendant, Israar Shah, was convicted of murder; a third man, Temitope Adeyinka, was later acquitted of murder but convicted of manslaughter. On 31 May 2024 the applicant received life imprisonment with a minimum term of 36 years and 111 days, with concurrent sentences totalling 28 years. The single judge refused leave to appeal against both conviction and sentence, and the applications were renewed.