Rapper Nathan Tokosi, known as DigDat, has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 24 years for a drive-by shooting in Notting Hill, west London. The 26-year-old from Deptford, south-east London, was convicted of attempted murder and firearms offences after shooting Daniel Offei-Ntow, 27, six times in the head, mouth and body as he sat in his car on 20 November 2023.
The victim, a rival artist who performs as Lugavelz, has since died, but the court heard his death was unconnected to the shooting. Tokosi, whose single Air Force reached number 20 on the UK singles chart in 2018, had eight previous convictions for 13 offences, including violence dating back to age 11. At 13, he was convicted of attempted murder for stabbing a victim in the ribcage and sentenced to seven years' youth detention.
Prosecutor Kate Bex KC said Tokosi was one of at least two people in a stolen Audi that pulled up beside the victim's vehicle. At least six shots were fired from a rear passenger window, and the victim was 'lucky not to die'. Firearms officers found the victim's car riddled with bullet holes and blood inside. Police recovered a latex glove and a black bag containing a firearm near the abandoned Audi.
Investigators found DNA belonging to Tokosi and another artist, Kamal Benjamin (Wesson), in the Audi, but Benjamin had left the UK days before the shooting, as evidenced by his Instagram posts from Dubai. Tokosi was also convicted of possessing a self-loading pistol and ammunition with intent to endanger life, and possessing a prohibited firearm and ammunition.
In mitigation, the court heard Tokosi was a 'laidback' young man caught up in the success of his music career and the 'fast-paced and chaotic' lifestyle. His defence lawyer, Shannon Revel, said he described his job as a rapper as 'an existence' with no time for reflection. Judge Sarah Munro KC said she had no doubt Tokosi was a dangerous offender.
Helen Shaw from the Crown Prosecution Service said: 'This was an utterly mindless attack which very nearly claimed a life. That night, Nathan Tokosi clearly intended to kill his victim by shooting him in the head at close range.' Detective Inspector Chris Shepherd added that the sentence reflects the severity of the crime.
