Violent Medway man to join fellow gang members in jail

A violent gang member is joining his accomplices in prison after a man was targeted in his Rochester home.

During the evening of 4 February 2021, Mohammed Maow along with David Akande, Mahei Ahmad, and Thami Ngqobongwana travelled to an address near Shorts Way, Borstal with a number of other unidentified men.

Once there, the group forcibly entered a house and one of them punched a man inside whilst demanding money. After the victim surrendered his wallet, his mother was also threatened before the gang left the premises.

The police were alerted and officers established that some of the offenders had been using a Smart Car. The vehicle was stopped by a patrol on the A2 near Bean just over an hour later.

The driver, Ahmad, and his passenger, Maow, were arrested. When the vehicle was searched, the victim’s bank cards were recovered from under one of the seats along with a quantity of cannabis.

An investigation by the Kent Crime Squad identified Ngqobongwana and Akande as also having been involved. They were arrested in Gillingham on 8 February and 12 February respectively.

Maow, from East Ham, London; Ahmad, from Aldersbrook, London; Akande, from Gillingham and Ngqobongwana, also from Gillingham were all charged with robbery. Ahmad was also charged with possession of a class B drug, driving a vehicle without a licence and no insurance.

Jailed

All four pleaded not guilty and were convicted after a trial at Maidstone Crown Court. On Thursday 21 September 2023, Maow, aged 28, was sentenced to six years and nine months’ imprisonment.

Ngqobongwana and Ahmed were previously jailed in 2022 for seven years, and seven years and three months respectively. Akande received six years and ten months’ imprisonment earlier this year.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Dan Bister said: ‘This latest prison sentence has ensured the final gang member no longer poses a risk to the public. While investigators were never able to confirm their actual roles in the robbery, we were able to prove all four played a significant part in a crime that terrorised the occupants at the address.

‘We were greatly assisted by the early actions of attending officers who ensured the arrest of two suspects as they sought to leave the county and this led to the identification of the other two offenders.

‘I would like to commend the victims and witnesses who have been key to ensuring these men were brought to justice.’