A teenager who fled to Pakistan after a father was stabbed to death in a violent ambush has been convicted, with police matching DNA found on a cigarette butt at the crime scene to his personal asthma inhaler. Ali Abdul Basit, aged 19, has been found guilty for his involvement in the death of 27-year-old Michael Patrick Afonso-Peixoto, who was fatally attacked by a group of men on December 19, 2023.
Fatal Ambush in South London
Mr Afonso-Peixoto had driven to Thornton Heath in South London with a friend when they were ambushed by a group waiting in a white BMW. According to a Metropolitan Police statement, after arriving at Mayfield Crescent, the victim got out of his Vauxhall Grandland and was confronted by a man wielding a large knife. He was stabbed multiple times, including in the neck and heart, as he attempted to flee back into the vehicle. His friend was threatened with a knife and forced out, and the car was stolen but later abandoned nearby.
Investigation and DNA Breakthrough
Basit fled to Pakistan following the attack, sparking a two-year investigation by the Met Police to track him down. He was eventually arrested after returning to Britain in May of last year. Investigators compiled extensive evidence, including mobile phone data linking him to three other men convicted in December 2024 for their roles in the incident. A critical breakthrough came when DNA from a cigarette butt found at the scene was matched to DNA on an asthma inhaler discovered at Basit's house during a police search.
Detective Inspector Martin Thorpe, who led the investigation, stated: 'Basit returned to the UK after the conviction of three other men in connection with Michael's death, possibly on the false pretence that he has got away with his actions. What Basit didn't know is that our officers had compiled an extensive amount of evidence, including phone data, which linked him to the other three convicted men at the time of the assault. After he was arrested, our officers were able to get his DNA from an asthma inhaler at his house, which matched DNA found on a cigarette butt at the scene.'
Trial and Convictions
Following a three-week trial at the Old Bailey, Basit was convicted on Friday of manslaughter and robbery. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22. In related cases, Zak Baako, 30, was found guilty of murder in December 2024 and sentenced to a minimum of 28 years in prison. John Budal, 20, of Thornton Heath, was convicted of manslaughter and robbery, and Omari Peat, 23, of Mitcham, was found guilty of robbery.
This case highlights the meticulous work of law enforcement in using forensic evidence to secure convictions, even when suspects attempt to evade justice by fleeing abroad. The use of DNA matching from everyday items like a cigarette butt and an asthma inhaler proved pivotal in bringing Basit to account for his role in this tragic crime.
