A notorious
'godfather' who sold machines guns to criminals in Birmingham while at
the heart of a gang which gunned down two innocent girls in a botched
attack has been jailed for 16 years. Nigerian Nosakhere
Stephenson, 41, (pictured left) masterminded an operation to sell antique firearms and
specially-made bullets to criminals around the West Midlands city. Fitzroy Ducram (right), known as one of Nosa's right hand men was jailed for more than seven years
The
gang - which for years fought a bloody and protracted feud with the
rival Johnson Crew - trafficked weapons including a MAC 10 machine gun, a
brutal weapon which was used in one of Birmingham's most notorious
murders.
Letisha
Shakespeare and Charlene Ellis were innocent victims caught in the
crossfire of the two warring gangs, whose turf war blighted the Aston
area of Birmingham for over a decade and cost dozens of lives.
Their
murders, which took place in 2003, propelled Birmingham’s gun crime
problem into the national headlines and kick-started campaigns by
residents who had grown tired of the daily acts of violence.
Eighteen
men have now been convicted for a series of offences relating to the
criminal firearms operation which Stephenson ran.
As
he was jailed for 16 years, Detective Constable Phil Rodgers said the
police operation - and subsequent haul of dozens of weapons and
ammunition - had undoubtedly prevented more murders in the city.
The
court heard how the gang had thousands of rounds of ammunition
specially made to be used with guns and revolvers, which they sold for
about £3,000 each.
No comments:
Write comments