A man has been jailed after stabbing another resident to death at a hostel in Wimbledon following a disagreement.
Mongo Bolili, 35, also known as ‘Ed’, of Merton was jailed for a minimum of 23 years, which was reduced to 21 years and 72 days due to his time spent in custody.
He was sentenced on Friday, November 4.
Police were called to a stabbing at around 1am on January 13, 2021, at a Wimbledon hostel for those struggling with addiction and other vulnerabilities.
Paul Dalton, 41, was found by officers in a pool of blood and despite efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
A post-examination undertaken on January 14 showed that Paul had died from a single stab wound to the back of his left thigh, puncturing the femoral vein and artery.
CCTV had caught Paul slamming a communal door adjacent to Mongo Bolili’s (also known as Ed) room.
Bolili then searched the building for Paul and found him sitting in a friend’s room, where the attack was carried out.
Bolili was in and out of the room within two minutes.
Paul’s friend witnessed the attack and gave crucial evidence in court but was accused by Bolili of being the one who carried out the stabbing.
Police said that there was no evidence to support this, and Paul’s friend immediately alerted residents and staff of what had happened.
A forensic examination found Paul's blood on the blade of the knife and Bolili's DNA on the handle.
Mongo Bolili was convicted of murdering Paul on July 1, 2022, at the Old Bailey.
DCI Jim Shirley who led the investigation said: “Bolili claimed Paul’s friend had stabbed him, but there was no evidence at all to support this.
“My team of officers worked fast and incredibly hard for Paul and I thank them for their diligence and dedication.
“I hope Paul’s family can derive some comfort that we have done everything we possibly could to bring them justice.”
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