Four men went on trial at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday accused of murdering 16-year-old Alexander John Soyoye, with the prosecution saying they fled the country after the killing. The defendants are Ruben Candiza, 26; Valco De-Almeida, 27; Marco Veiga, 25; and Emerson Teta, 25. They all deny murder and violent disorder.
Gang feud led to fatal clash
Jurors heard that Soyoye, known as John, was killed on November 5, 2020, amid a feud between the Moston-based M40 gang and the Rochdale and Oldham outfit Representing the Danger (RTD). The violence erupted on the streets of Moston after a relative of an M40 member was stabbed earlier that day in Piccadilly Gardens. That attack, on the younger brother of Francesco Raji, was the catalyst for a revenge attack, the court was told.
RTD members later travelled to Moston to exact revenge, leading to a violent melee. M40 gang members became overwhelmed and fled. Soyoye was injured in the earlier fight and became isolated before being punched, kicked and stabbed, suffering 15 blows to his body. He died at the scene on Birchenall Street, Moston.
Previous convictions
Six members of the RTD gang were previously convicted of Soyoye's murder: Francesco Raji, now 24, of Elm Road, Oldham; Christopher Semedo, now 27, of Elm Road, Oldham; Nelson Correia, now 26, of Petworth Road, Oldham; Ismiel Correia, now 24, of Cavanagh Close, Ardwick; Brent Tchipenda, now 23, of Wistaria Road, Gorton; and Octavio Antonio, now 24, of Deepdale Court, Moston. A seventh member, Mohammed Al-Jaf, now 25, of Bradney Close, Blackley, was convicted of manslaughter.
Prosecution case
Opening the case, prosecutor Andrew Haslam KC said: "The prosecution say these four defendants formed part of the larger group of 13 who were affiliated to a gang called Representing the Danger or RTD." He added: "The CCTV that you will see during the course of the trial shows all 13 were involved in the fatal attack on John Soyoye and the initial disorder which took place earlier that evening."
The court heard that the four defendants and a fifth man fled the country after the incident to evade arrest. The fifth man remains in Portugal. Haslam said Soyoye was linked to the opposing gang M40 and that he was known as 'MD' or 'Morsley'. He told the court that some of that group were involved in the earlier attack on Raji's brother.
"The prosecution case is having found out about the attack on Francesco Raji's younger brother earlier on that day, the RTD gang mobilised its troops - these four defendants and the other nine," Haslam said. "They travelled to Moston to exact their revenge. They confronted eight members of M40 on Kenyon Lane. There was a pitched battle in the streets. Members of the rival gangs were armed with weapons including large knives and machetes."
The M40 were overwhelmed and ran away, with Soyoye injured on Kenyon Lane. He became isolated, and the defendants allegedly caught up with him on Birchenall Street, surrounding him and subjecting him to punches, kicks and stabs. He sustained 15 separate stab wounds. Haslam said: "He did not stand a chance. He could never have survived such extreme injuries. He died on that road that same night."
The defendants' addresses are: Ruben Candiza of Appleby Walk, Royton, Oldham; Valco De-Almeida of Brierley Street, Oldham; Marco Veiga of Burnsall Grove, Royton, Oldham; and Emerson Teta of Chestnut Crescent, Oldham. The trial continues.
