Men found guilty in connection with one punch manslaughter investigation

A man has been found guilty of a one-punch manslaughter in Milton Keynes.

A unanimous jury found Ali Dahir, aged 35, of Linton Road, Barking, guilty of one count of manslaughter, after a 13-day trial at Luton Crown Court.

Ali Dahir’s brother, Ahmed Dahir, aged 33, of Porthleven Place in Milton Keynes, was found unanimously guilty of one count of assisting an offender and one count of perverting the course of justice.

Ali Dahir punched Abdifatah Ali Wadad Abdillahi, in Towan Avenue, Fishermead, at about 12.40am on 11 July last year.

Abdifatah, who was aged 35 and from Milton Keynes, was treated at hospital, but sadly he was later pronounced deceased.

The defendants are due to be sentenced at Luton Crown Court on 20 October 2023.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Underhill of the Thames Valley Police Major Crime Unit, said: “This is a tragic case which demonstrates the danger that one punch can do. Be in no doubt that one punch can kill someone, even if that is not your intention.

“In a split second you can cause untold damage to yourself, your family, the victim and the victim’s family. You may end up killing someone and spending a significant time in prison.

“Ali and Abdifatah were with friends at a flat in Towan Avenue, Fishermead, during the evening of Sunday 10 July into Monday 11 July last year.

“According to accounts, Ali started a verbal argument with Abdifatah inside the flat, but during the evening they reconciled their differences.

“At about 12.40am on 11 July, Ali and Abdifatah left the flat together to go to the shops. “Once outside, Ali delivered a heavy punch to Abdifatah, which landed on the right side of his upper neck. This punch ruptured Abdifatah’s right intracranial artery, which would have caused his almost immediate collapse.

“Ali left Abdifatah by himself and lying unconscious and continued to the shop to buy more alcohol.

“Abdifatah’s friends saw him alone on the floor and went to his assistance.

“Ali then returned from the shop and assisted in taking Abdifatah to the hospital but when his friend asked what had happened he claimed he didn’t know. Ali then left the hospital.

“Abdifatah was treated at hospital, but sadly his injury was not survivable.

“After leaving the hospital, Ali called his brother, Ahmed. He then went to Ahmed’s address in Fishermead. Ali switched his phone off and Ahmed later booked a taxi to take himself and Ali to another area of Milton Keynes. On route, they stopped at a shop and Ahmed, using Ali’s bank card withdrew cash and made some purchases on behalf of Ali, including toiletries, cigarettes and alcohol.

“Later that morning police attended Ahmed’s flat looking for Ali. Ahmed lied to the officers claiming he did not know where Ali was and had not seen him for a couple of days.

“As the investigation unfolded it became apparent that Ahmed had in fact been at the flat in Towan Avenue at around the exact same time as Abdifatah and Ali had left to go to the shops. His phone was a potentially crucial piece of evidence that we sought to recover, but Ahmed repeatedly lied to police about having a phone and that phone has never been found.

“The prosecution case was that Ahmed knew full well that Ali had assaulted Abdifatah, and assisted him in evading the police and then got rid of his own phone because he knew it contained important evidence.

“Ali was later arrested and interviewed by the Thames Valley Police Major Crime Unit. In all of his police interviews, he gave no comment. However, during the trial, Ali claimed that he punched Abdifatah in self-defence because Abdifatah kicked him in the leg, and was coming towards him with both fists raised.

“Ahmed was arrested and interviewed on suspicion of assisting an offender and he denied the offence. When he was arrested for perverting the course of justice, he gave no comment.

“During the trial, Ahmed told the jury that he did not know his brother was responsible for Abdifatah’s injury, even though he was in contact with his brother. Ahmed claimed that he didn’t want police to have his phone because he is a drug dealer, and not because it contained any evidence about Abdifatah’s death. He denied disposing of his phone and said it was a family member’s who he refused to name.

“The jury rejected both defences. I am pleased they have decided that Ali was responsible for Abdifatah’s death and that Ahmed assisted Ali to evade police and did cause his phone to be disposed of.

“With no direct eye witnesses to the assault, this was a difficult investigation and I would like to sincerely thank all of the witnesses who did assist us, without whom we would not have been able to get to the truth of what happened.

“Abdifatah was a soon to be first time father at the time of his death. His child is left without a father and his family without a beloved, husband, son, brother, nephew, cousin, and uncle. I pay tribute to Abdifatah’s family for the dignity they have shown throughout, and my thoughts remain with them at this most difficult time.”