A man has been jailed for life after a London murder over debt dispute in Vauxhall, with jurors rejecting his self-defence claim

Fawaz Abdulkareem, 36, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Daniel Manuel, 32, in Vauxhall, south London, after a jury rejected his claim that he acted in self-defence during a dispute over money.

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The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Saturday that Abdulkareem was unanimously convicted of murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place at Croydon Crown Court on May 21.

The court sentenced Abdulkareem on Friday, June 5, to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years.

Prosecutors said the fatal attack stemmed from an argument over a debt owed by Abdulkareem to Manuel. The pair had spent the evening at a nightclub before returning to a flat on Bondway, where the disagreement escalated into deadly violence.

Police were called to the building at 05:38hrs and arrived within minutes. Officers found Manuel in the lobby with three stab wounds and immediately administered emergency first aid.

Despite efforts by paramedics, Manuel was pronounced dead at the scene.

Detectives swiftly identified Abdulkareem as the suspect and arrested him at the location before charging him the following day.

Investigators said Abdulkareem attempted to mislead officers during the inquiry and tried to dispose of the murder weapon by throwing it from a 14th-floor window.

Detective Inspector Luke Hampton, who led the investigation, described the killing as a devastating betrayal.

“Daniel was murdered in a moment of extreme violence by a man he thought was his friend,” Hampton said.

The detective added that Abdulkareem had attempted to deceive investigators after the attack.

“Abdulkareem tried to deceive police, recklessly throwing the murder weapon from the window of the 14th floor of a tower block and cruelly claiming it was Daniel who had attacked him,” Hampton said.

“Met detectives saw through his lies and worked hard to secure a conviction. Abdulkareem’s claims of self-defence were dismissed by the jury.”

Detectives said forensic and witness evidence undermined the defendant’s account, indicating that Manuel was likely stabbed while his back was turned.

The findings proved crucial in securing the conviction and challenging the self-defence argument presented during the trial.

In a moving victim impact statement, Manuel’s wife, Zulal, described the profound effect of his death on her life.

“Daniel was not just my husband, he was my partner, my home, my emotional safety and the person I built my entire life around,” she said.

“Losing him in such a violent and sudden way has completely shattered my world.”

She added that the loss had affected every aspect of her life.

“This loss has affected every part of my life, emotionally, physically, financially and I am still trying to survive the aftermath of it,” Zulal said.

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The conviction brings an end to the criminal proceedings in the London murder over debt dispute, although Manuel’s family continue to face the lasting consequences of his death.