Peckham Rye: Brothers jailed for life for Kalabe Legesse's murder

Nah’shun and Nyran Thomas were cycling around Peckham Rye Park armed with a knife on December 30, 2022. 

At around 8pm they approached 29-year-old Kalabe Legesse, who was sitting on a park bench, and threatened him for his mobile phone before stabbing him in the heart. 

On Wednesday (May 15) Nah’shun, aged 20, was given a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years and three months, while Nyran was given a life sentence with a minimum of 19 years and ten months. 

Kalabe’s family said: “Nothing can bring back our son Kalabe. He was doing nothing wrong on the night that he was killed and we will never understand why he was murdered over a mobile phone. 

“The defendants have not shown any remorse for what they did to him. We have recently passed the anniversary of his death; Christmas and New Year for us will never be the same again. 

“Kalabe was loved by everyone he met and had an exciting future ahead of him. He will never be able to have a family of his own, and our family will never have him back.” 

Kalabe Legesse (Image: Met Police)Before the robbery, Kalabe had been on the phone to a friend who told police that he heard the suspects saying “Where are you from?“ and “What have you got on you?” 

Police enquiries found that the males had committed two other mobile phone robberies shortly before Mr Legesse’s murder. 

The victims of the two robberies reported that they had intimated they had a knife and asked the same questions as they did Kalabe. 

Detectives retraced the suspects’ movements and were able to identify their home address on Bournemouth Road in Peckham. 

Police conducted a search and found a sheathed black-handled hunting knife wrapped in a black Puffa jacket found in his grandmother's bedroom. 

The brothers were found guilty of Kalabe’s murder after a trial at Croydon Crown Court. 

Nyran Thomas (left) and Nah'shun Thomas (right) (Image: Met Police)After sentencing the brothers on Wednesday (May 15) His Honour Justice Gower, lifted reporting restrictions in relation to Nyran who is still a juvenile. 

He also praised Kalabe’s family for their dignity throughout the investigation, the two robbery victims for the evidence they gave, and the Met Police for their painstaking, thorough and professional investigation. 

Investigating officer Detective Inspector Adam Guttridge said: “The defendants were riding around the area, armed with a knife that they were prepared to use to commit violent offences. 

“With crime comes accountability and consequences. For cruelly and needlessly ending Kalabe Legesse's life, they will have years ahead of them in prison to reflect on their actions and the lives they have destroyed." 

Kalabe’s family said: “We are grateful to the investigation team for their hard work for over a year to bring these people to justice."