A court has been informed that a „business arrangement gone awry“ resulted in the fatal stabbing of a 26-year-old man, after a couple traveled 50 miles with two young children to confront him.
Ben Wazabanga, 24, and Ronique Belfon, 23, are facing murder charges in connection with the death of Ayowale Aladejana, who was found stabbed outside his residence in New Cross, southeast London, in August 2025. The couple made the journey from Bedford to confront Aladejana.
During proceedings at Southwark Crown Court, prosecutor James Brown KC detailed how Wazabanga stabbed Aladejana once in the chest with a knife he had brought along. It was indicated that the couple did not intend to kill Aladejana but sought to confront him regarding grievances they held against him. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.
The court learned that the couple believed Aladejana owed them money following the failure of a car rental business they had invested in earlier that year. Aladejana had initiated the venture, with Wazabanga providing funds for repairs and Belfon financing two Mercedes vehicles for rental purposes.
According to the prosecution, Aladejana was expected to cover the financing costs of the vehicles using rental income, but he allegedly failed to make payments, which led to Belfon incurring debt. Subsequently, Aladejana transferred the vehicles to another rental company.
Details of the Incident
On the day of the stabbing, Belfon reportedly received Aladejana’s address via a WhatsApp message from an individual named Edric Kubie. After locating the address on Google Maps, she and Wazabanga drove to southeast London, with Wazabanga armed with a knife.
CCTV footage captured the couple’s vehicle circling the vicinity before it parked outside Aladejana’s home on Monson Road. Wazabanga then approached Aladejana to confront him.
Brown described the encounter as involving „the briefest of scuffles“ before Wazabanga stabbed Aladejana in the chest with his right hand. Following the attack, Belfon drove Wazabanga away from the scene, stopping briefly to allow him to retrieve his mobile phone.
According to the prosecutor, both defendants had a significant grievance against Aladejana, believing he owed them money due to the failed business arrangement.
The couple, who did not contact emergency services after the incident, were apprehended later that night near Waterloo Bridge in central London. The trial is ongoing.
Bildquelle: Matti Blume via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)
