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Reginald Berko

Age: 26

Sex: male

Date: 30 Jan 2009

Place: Ormsby Street, Hackney, London

Reginald Berko was stabbed to death in Hackney on 30 January 2009 just after 6pm.

He had been stabbed once in the heart.

A man was tried for his murder but acquitted after it was heard that the main witness against him had picked him out in revenge because of a long standing gang feud.

It was thought that Reginald Berko had been stabbed on a walkway under Fellows Court and had then staggered about 200m to Ormsby Street where he was found.

It was initially thought that he had been chased shortly before he was stabbed.

However, at the trial it was heard that Reginald Berko was seen talking to two men shortly beforehand after which they left, and another man was seen to approach him and then talk to him briefly before stabbing him in the heart. It was said that there had been no sign of fear or aggression before the man pulled out the knife.

It was said that the man said to Reginald Berko, 'This boy for dead, this boy for dead' and that when Reginald Berko asked, 'Why are you doing this?', the man replied, 'You falling, boy'.

A witness later identified the 22-year-old man that was tried for Reginald Berko's murder and the trial heard that the man had got rid of the clothes that he had been wearing on the night of the murder and had also got rid of his phone. It was also heard that he had told his girlfriend not to tell anyone that he was known by his street name. However, in his defence at the trial he said that he only said that because he was being framed by the London Fields gang, adding that he had been shot by a member of the London Fields gang in 2005 and had then given evidence at the Old Bailey against the man that had shot him.

He said, 'The motivation is revenge for the conviction arising out of me being shot in 2005. I believe that the person who identified me must have known me which is why he picked me out'.

The jury retired to consider their verdict for two days before returning a not guilty verdict.

Reginald Berko had lived in Stamford Hill with his wife and 16-month-old son.


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