An “extremely dangerous” man, Mohamed Nur, has been sentenced to a minimum of 32 years for the brutal killing of 31-year-old Johanita Kossiwa Dogbey, part of a series of unprovoked slasher attacks in Brixton.
Nur, 34, stabbed Ms. Dogbey three times in the neck as she walked home in south London on May 1, 2023. Just two days earlier, he had slashed the faces of two women and a man in random, unprovoked attacks.
He pleaded guilty to murder and possession of a homemade blade on the day of the attack and was also found guilty of three counts of unlawful wounding. Despite failing to attend court, Nur was sentenced in his absence to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 32 years.
Judge Angela Rafferty KC described the murder as “random, vicious, horrific” and “without mercy.” She stated that Nur’s history of drug addiction and violent behavior made him a “very dangerous man” who posed an incalculable risk. The judge emphasized that if he had not been arrested, he would have likely attacked again.
During the sentencing, Ms. Dogbey’s younger sister, Laura, emotionally described the pain of losing her “innocent, loving, selfless” sister. Laura condemned the killing as “selfish” and “premeditated,” stating that her sister would never have harmed anyone.
Mohamed Nur, originally from Somalia, had been living in accommodation for vulnerable adults in Vauxhall, South London, after becoming homeless in late 2022. He had a criminal history, including convictions for possessing cannabis, a firearm, and other weapons.
Nur’s violent spree began on April 29, 2023, when he attacked three strangers—Rebecca Wilkes, Tomasz Kmiecik, and Katie Matthews—slashing their faces without warning or provocation. Prosecutor Julian Evans KC stated that the attacks were entirely random, with no prior connection between the victims and the attacker.
On May 1, Nur attacked Ms. Dogbey while she was walking alone on Stockwell Park Walk. CCTV footage showed the sudden and brutal nature of the assault, with Nur stabbing Ms. Dogbey repeatedly in the neck until she fell to the ground. Despite pleas from Ms. Dogbey to “leave me,” Nur fled the scene, discarding his weapon, which was later recovered by police.
Emergency responders arrived quickly, but despite their efforts, Ms. Dogbey was pronounced dead at 4:42 pm.
Nur was arrested the following day, May 2, after being found in possession of a weapon made from a broken mirror. When questioned, Nur claimed to have been smoking crack cocaine that day and showed little remorse. Upon being informed of Ms. Dogbey’s death, he responded, “What, who’s she?”
In court, the victims of Nur’s earlier attacks described the psychological scars from the ordeal. Rebecca Wilkes spoke of being “physically and mentally scarred,” while Tomasz Kmiecik detailed suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Katie Matthews expressed how the attacks left her fearful of strangers and shaken by the thought that it could have been her who died.
Judge Rafferty also addressed Nur’s failure to appear in court, stressing the importance of holding defendants accountable for their actions, particularly in cases like this. The judge made it clear that defendants in such serious cases must be held responsible for attending court hearings.
This sentence serves as a reminder of the devastating impact of random, violent attacks on victims and their families and the lasting psychological consequences that can result.
