A self-proclaimed ‘monster’ has been found guilty of beating a top chef near the Notting Hill Carnival and leaving him dying in the street to go clubbing.
Omar Wilson, 32, repeatedly punched and kicked Mussie Imnetu during a row outside Dr Power restaurant in Queensway, west London, on the evening of last August 26.
Mr Imnetu, 41, who had worked under chefs Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing, was said to have been ‘heavily intoxicated’ at the time of the incident and died later in hospital.
The jury had been shown graphic CCTV footage showing Wilson approaching Mr Imnetu and headbutting him.
About a minute later, Wilson punched Mr Imnetu five times in the head, causing him to fall to the ground.
Wilson continued to punch Mr Imnetu repeatedly while he was on his hands and knees, then kicked him in the head.
Prosecutor Jacob Hallam KC had said: ‘The defendant had, by that point, struck him to his head more than a dozen times. Mr Imnetu had struck the defendant not once.
‘At the end of that altercation, Mr Imnetu was dying on the ground and the defendant left and went clubbing in the Ministry of Sound.’
Michelin star chef Mussie Imnetu (pictured) died in hospital after being attacked in the street in the vicinity of Notting Hill Carnival
Omar Wilson, 31, (pictured) punched and kicked Mussie Imnetu, 41, during a row outside Dr Power restaurant in Queensway, west London , on the evening of last August 26
Police out in force on the ‘family day’ at Notting Hill Carnival on Sunday August 25
As nearby police moved to help Mr Imnetu, Wilson walked away having dropped his keys and sunglasses at the scene, on which detectives found his DNA.
Mr Imnetu, who worked at The Arts Club, a private member’s establishment, was taken to hospital and died four days later without regaining consciousness, jurors heard.
In the aftermath of the attack, Wilson told an associate he had ‘crossed the line’.
In a message, he admitted: ‘There’s a monster in me, man, and it’s just like sometimes it comes out.
‘And I think I’ve messed up now, I’ve messed up, everything’s finished.’
Asked how the carnival was going, he replied: ‘Can’t lie. I did the hands ting (sic) and I think it’s a manslaughter,’ jurors heard.
During his Old Bailey trial, Wilson claimed he acted in self-defence, telling jurors: ‘I just regret that somebody’s life was taken while I was trying to defend mine.’
The jury deliberated for a total of 22 hours and 34 minutes before finding him guilty of the chef’s murder by a majority of 10 to two on Thursday.
The jury had been shown graphic CCTV footage showing Wilson (pictured) approaching Mr Imnetu and headbutting him
Detectives were able to use the footage alongside DNA from a pair of sunglasses dropped at the scene
Police issued this image of Mr Imnetu leaving The Arts Club in Mayfair’s Dover Street at around 1pm – some 10 and a half hours before he was found with a head injury
Mr Imnetu was visiting the UK from Dubai where he lived and worked as a top chef at The Arts Club
Following his arrest on August 28, Wilson told police he had struck the victim in ‘self-defence’.
He claimed Mr Imnetu was behaving erratically, harassing girls, and had a bottle.
On being shown CCTV of Mr Imnetu being assaulted on the ground, Wilson said it ‘seems excessive now’ and watching it was ‘f****** disgusting’, jurors were told.
Giving evidence in his trial, Wilson claimed he hit Mr Imnetu because he felt ‘trapped’ and ‘scared’ and believed that the chef was holding a smashed bottle, although that turned out not to be the case.
Asked what he would have done differently with the benefit of hindsight, Wilson said: ‘The thing that always haunts me the most was the police were so close and I didn’t know at the time.’
Wilson, of Napier Road, Leytonstone, east London, was remanded into custody and will be sentenced by Judge Philip Katz on Friday, February 28.
Scotland Yard Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie, who led the investigation, said: ‘Our thoughts very much remain with Mussie’s family and friends in Dubai, Sweden and London, who had to relive the last traumatic moments of his life during the trial after Wilson refused to take responsibility for his actions.
‘Mussie was a loving husband, father, son and a respected chef. He was in London for a few days to help train his colleagues and went out that evening to enjoy the post-Notting Hill Carnival atmosphere, where tragically he was violently assaulted.’
Mr Imnetu was attacked outside the Dr Power restaurant on Queensway on August 26
Samantha Yelland, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: ‘Our thoughts remain with Mussie Imnetu’s devastated family and friends who loved him dearly, as well as those who had to witness the shocking attack that evening.
‘Omar Wilson’s savage violence ultimately took the life of a much-loved man, and the Crown Prosecution Service was determined that he should face justice.
‘The evidence in this case was overwhelming, with high-quality CCTV footage showing Wilson attacking the victim.
‘While Wilson tried to claim his actions were in self-defence, the evidence clearly showed that he was the only person acting violently.
‘I hope today’s verdict – which will see Wilson put behind bars for the murder – provides some comfort to those who now have to live a life without Mussie.’
