Rapper Executed in Revenge Killing After Address Leaked Through Drug Case
A young London rapper was mercilessly gunned down in what prosecutors have described as a cold-blooded revenge execution, after his new home address became public knowledge through media coverage of his drug dealing conviction. The tragic case highlights the dangerous consequences of personal information being disclosed in legal proceedings and subsequent news reports.
Deadly Tracking Through Digital Footprints
Tamba Momodu, a 20-year-old aspiring musician, was shot six times at point blank range outside a gym in Telford, Shropshire, on October 13, 2020. The court heard how his killers had systematically tracked him using a combination of news articles, social media posts, and Google Earth imagery to locate his new residence after he had moved from London seeking a fresh start.
Prosecutor James Curtis KC told Leicester Crown Court that Momodu had been singled out for death by individuals intent on revenge for an earlier incident. The victim had previously been acquitted of murdering 19-year-old rapper Abdullahi Tarabi in 2017 on grounds of self-defence, but this acquittal apparently failed to satisfy Tarabi's family members.
How the Address Discovery Unfolded
The crucial breakthrough for the killers came when Momodu was convicted of drug dealing in October 2019. A Welsh news media report covering his conviction and subsequent imprisonment included his home address in Donnington, Telford. This information proved fatal when combined with digital investigation techniques employed by his pursuers.
Evidence presented in court revealed that a Google Earth screenshot with Momodu's address circled was discovered on the phone of Mahamud Tarabi, the brother of the deceased rapper. The image had been obtained by police during an unrelated investigation, demonstrating how the defendants had used digital tools to pinpoint their target's location with disturbing precision.
The Stalking and Final Confrontation
According to prosecution evidence, the defendants made sixteen separate trips from London to Telford between September and October 2020, using various vehicles including a stolen Skoda Karoq that would later become known as the murder car. CCTV footage showed the vehicle repeatedly visiting the industrial park containing the Fitness Factory gym where Momodu regularly trained.
The court heard that three previous attempts to locate and attack Momodu had failed before the fatal fourth attempt on October 13. On that day, two men wearing high-visibility tabards waited in the Skoda for forty minutes before Momodu arrived as a passenger in a Renault Megane with two friends.
Mr Curtis described the chilling moment when a gunman in an orange tabard emerged from the Skoda and fired six shots in quick succession through the Renault's passenger window. The attackers then fled the scene at high speed, leaving their victim fatally wounded. The murder vehicle was later discovered burnt out in a car park near the Wrekin.
Broader Implications and Trial Details
This case raises significant questions about privacy protections for individuals involved in criminal proceedings, particularly when they have relocated for safety reasons. The disclosure of Momodu's address through routine court reporting created a vulnerability that was exploited with deadly consequences.
Four men currently stand trial for murder:
- Ahmed Karshe, 31, of no fixed abode
- Mahamud Tarabi, 33, of Uxbridge
- Deria Hassan, 33, of Greenford, London
- Merje Ngoy, 25, of no fixed abode
All defendants have entered not guilty pleas. The prosecution argues that all four are equally culpable in the killing, regardless of who actually pulled the trigger, due to their collective involvement in planning and executing the attack.
The trial, expected to last ten weeks, continues at Leicester Crown Court after a previous proceeding was paused last year. Medical evidence presented to the jury confirmed that Momodu suffered multiple gunshot wounds, including fatal injuries to his heart and lung. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene forty minutes after the shooting.
This tragic case serves as a stark reminder of how digital information combined with traditional media reporting can create dangerous situations for individuals trying to rebuild their lives away from previous conflicts and criminal associations.
