Alleged knifeman 'stabbed pensioner to death' in London market rampage

by · Mail Online

A knifeman accused of stabbing a pensioner to death and hospitalizing two others in a gruesome Remembrance Sunday rampage has been remanded in custody.

The man has been identified as 66-year-old Musse Ali, who allegedly hacked at marketgoers with a kitchen knife shortly before the two-minute remembrance silence in Walworth, southeast London.

A man in his late 70's who died at the scene from a stab wound to his back has since been named as Hilkiah McLeggan from Southwark.

The two other victims, named as Ho Man Yau and Baheru Nadew Bartura remain in hospital dealing with injuries described as 'serious' by authorities. 

Ali has been charged with murder, two counts of attempted murder and one count of possessing a bladed article. 

Poilice and forensics officers were on the scene in Walworth, south London
Sunday morning's triple stabbings happened by a street market in south London
Officers were called at about 10.40am on Sunday to reports of people being stabbed

Appearing before Croydon Magistrates' Court on Tuesday with the aid of an interpreter, Ali was absent from today's proceedings at the Old Bailey.

Danny Robinson, prosecuting, today told the court how Ali could be witnessed on CCTV footage entering the market and going into a shop at roughly 10.30am.

The footage continues on to reveal the 66-year-old jumping over the shop counter in an attempt to steal an unnamed item before then being pushed outside by the shopkeeper.

It is here that Ali could be seen brandishing a large knife, before stabbing three men standing in the vicinity in quick succession.

Mr Robinson told the court how Ali 'lunged at other members of the public with the knife before he was detained by store holders before police arrived and arrested him'. 

Police say that their enquiries suggest that this was not a terrorist incident 

Judge Sarah Whitehouse, KC, remanded Ali in custody ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing on 3 February, setting a provisional trial date for 22 September next year.

Additionally, local authorities confirmed that an increased police presence would be seen in the Southwark area over the coming weeks in an effort to reassure locals and small businesses. 

Chief Superintendent Seb Adjei-Addoh, lead for policing in Southwark, also moved to dispel social media rumours about the stabbings, stating: 'We are aware of posts circulating on social media, implying that this was a terrorist incident. Our enquiries indicate this is not the case and we ask the public not to speculate'.