By Daniel Walton

Copyright expressandstar

Ishmael Farquharson, aged 34, was found guilty of manslaughter last Friday for the killing of Sekou Doucoure in Birmingham.

Sekou, 16, was brutally killed in broad daylight on July 12, 2021, when he was riding an electric scooter along Villa Street with a friend at around 6pm.

As the youth and his friend approached Farm Street, Pierre Thomas, who was 18 at the time, rode a mountain bike towards them and pointed.

Sekou turned to ride towards him; however, as he approached, Thomas pulled a gun from his bag, and another man, Fardi Jafal, joined them.

They were armed with a knife and a firearm.

Sekou, who was also armed with a knife, managed to run away after a number of shots were fired; however, he was chased by Farquharson and the other offenders.

Sekou hid for around 20 minutes before making his way to Burbury Street, where he was found by Farquharson.

Both Sekou and Farquharson were armed with knives when a scuffle broke out, before coming to an end on a petrol station forecourt, where Sekou received a fatal stab wound to his chest.

Armed officers raced to the scene following the reports of shots being fired in Villa Street, and were already in the area when they were flagged down by a member of the public.

On arrival, they found an injured Sekou and began administering first aid; however, the youth could not be saved.

Following an investigation, which involved reviewing hundreds of hours of CCTV footage and warrants executed at the homes of Thomas and Jafal, investigators were able to plot the group’s movements on the day that Sekou was killed.

However, it became apparent that Farquharson had fled the country.

After three years of being on the run, Farquharson was finally arrested in Spain in January.

Now, Faquharson has been sentenced to 22 years in prison at Birmingham Crown Court for the manslaughter of the boy.

At a trial held in 2023, Pierre Thomas and Fardi Jafal were also found guilty of manslaughter and the possession of an imitation firearm with the intent to cause fear of violence. They were jailed for nine years.

Detective Superintendent Laura Harrison, from the force’s major crime unit, said: “Ishmael Farquharson thought that by fleeing the country he would escape justice, but we have worked tirelessly to find him and get justice for Sekou’s family. I want to say thank you to the Spanish authorities and the National Crime Agency for assisting us with making this happen.

“I also want to thank Sekou’s family for their patience throughout this investigation. Although this sentence won’t bring Sekou back, I hope it finally brings them some peace.

“There are very serious consequences for carrying a knife. By carrying one, you are not only putting other people at risk, but you are also putting yourself at risk.

“We can all play a part in changing attitudes towards carrying knives and weapons, and our work continues with schools, charities and our partners to do this.”

Speaking previously, Sekou’s parents said that ‘words cannot describe’ the type of person their son was, and that ‘despite his shortcomings’, he ‘would do anything for anyone’.

In the tribute, the family said: “Sekou was a 16-year-old boy who loved his family and loved football. He gave a different perspective on life and inspired people around him to be the best they can be and to follow whatever religion they wanted.

“He was quite talented in many regards when it came to his academics and especially when it came to sports and football.

“Despite his shortcomings, everybody who was close to him can vouch for the fact that he would help anyone who was around him, despite the severity of the problem and the extent to which it could affect him negatively. Words cannot truly express what kind of person he was.

“He was a good boy and son who would do anything for anyone. He is sorely missed by all the family, particularly his sisters, brother and Mom.”