Prosecutors previously said the stabbing happened over a ‘business arrangement going sour’ after Ben Wazabanga had invested money in Mr Aladejana’s car rental business
A “compsed” killer murdered a business associate on his South London doorstep in a dispute over car rental debts. Ben Wazabanga, 23, was armed with a knife when he drove 50 miles from his home in Fairfax Road, Bedford, to Monson Road, New Cross, and fatally stabbed 26-year-old Ayowale Aladejana int he chest.
Wazabanga had two young children in the car with him for the journey where he was fuelled by anger to confront Mr Aladejana. On Thursday (June 11) a jury at Southwark Crown Court found Wazabanga guilty of murdering Mr Aladejana.
Detective Chief Inspector Lucie Card, who led the investigation, said: “This was a calculated and brutal attack, with Wazabanga driving a considerable distance in order to accost Mr Aladejana at his home and cause him harm. Both the responding officers and subsequent detectives worked tirelessly, examining CCTV and phone data, to piece together the timeline that led to Mr Aladejana’s death.
“This was a truly tragic and avoidable incident. We established that Wazabanga alone used the knife to kill Mr Aladejana, and I hope that today’s conviction will bring Mr Aladejana’s loved ones a measure of comfort as they continue to grieve his loss.”
The court previously heard the pair fell out over a business deal. Jenni Dempster KC, representing Wazabanga, had said he drove at Mr Aladejana’s house to have a “calm” conversation on August 2, 2025. CCTV footage played in court showed Mr Aladejana coming outside his house and briefly talking with Wazabanga, before heading back inside and then back outside after about a minute-and-a-half.
Miss Dempster said Wazabanga did not shout nor “issue a single threat” while talking to Mr Aladejana, adding he was “composed” and “reasonable” while waiting for him to come back outside. She told the jury: “There is nothing about Mr Wazabanga that suggests that he was in an aggressive, violent mood.
“He remains, you may think, composed. He appears reasonable. He doesn’t for example try and follow Mr Aladejana back into his house. There are no threats at any point, there’s no aggressive movement from Mr Wazabanga at any point.”
Miss Dempster said the pair then had a scuffle lasting a few seconds on the front path and street outside Mr Aladejana’s house, during which he put Wazabanga “in a headlock”, prompting him to see he had a knife tucked in his waistband.
The barrister said Wazabanga acted in self defence a few moments later when he stabbed Mr Aladejana, as he saw him reach for the knife from his trousers and understood he was in a “lose-lose situation”. She told the jury: “What was Mr Wazabanga supposed to do? What should he have done if not this? Wait and be stabbed?”
Prosecutors previously said the stabbing happened after a “business arrangement had gone sour” after Wazabanga had invested money in Mr Aladejana’s car rental business A2M2. They told the court Wazabanga had funded car repairs. By the time of the stabbing, Wazabanga believed he was owed £3,000 and it is said he was struggling to contact Mr Aladejana.
How police caught Wazabanga
The first Met Police officers at the scene trawled through local CCTV to identify the car that had parked outside Mr Aladejana’s home and fled shortly before they were called. The vehicle details were circulated widely, with the car later being stopped by armed police near Waterloo Bridge.
Despite Wazabanga running from the car with a knife in his hands, officers swiftly arrested him on suspicion of murder. Giving evidence at Southwark Crown Court previously, Wazabanga admitted “routinely” carrying a knife for the last seven years after being stabbed in his leg and hand, and said he had a combat knife in his pocket as the couple headed to Mr Aladejana’s home.
Further CCTV enquiries helped detectives piece together the series of events that led to the attack. Automatic Number Plate Recognition revealed that Wazabanga drove from Bedford to New Cross, a journey spanning 50 miles, to confront Mr Aladejana. Phone analysis also confirmed his grievance towards the victim and the plan he had formed.
Wazabanga will be sentenced at the same court on Monday, 13 July.
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