Two men who pretended to be good Samaritans before robbing an injured Malaysian student during the 2011 London riots have been found guilty. John Kafunda, 22, and Reece Donovan, 22, were convicted of robbery and violent disorder at Wood Green Crown Court. The judge warned they face lengthy jail sentences when sentenced on 13 March.
The victim, Ashraf Rossli, 21, an accountancy student from Malaysia, had been in Britain for just a month when he was attacked on 8 August 2011. He was cycling through a crowd on a flyover in Barking, east London, when his bicycle was stolen and he was punched, breaking his jaw in two places. The assault left him bleeding on the pavement, and he now has metal plates in his jaw.
Mobile phone footage showed Kafunda putting his arm around a dazed Rossli and pretending to help him while Donovan rifled through his bag. A portable Sony PlayStation and 10 games worth £500 were stolen. In a police statement, Rossli said: 'I was not in a position to defend myself and was still suffering from the effects of being hit. I knew they were stealing from me, but I could do nothing.'
Detective Sergeant John Healy said: 'At the time of this incident, Mr Rossli was suffering the effects of a broken jaw and he was unable to defend himself. Kafunda and Donovan took advantage of him posing as good Samaritans to steal his property.' Chief Superintendent Gary Buttercase described Rossli as 'a man of humility and dignity'.
After the attack, Rossli said he was determined to continue his studies in Britain, stating: 'Britain is great. I haven't got any ill feelings about what happened. I feel very sorry for the people that did this.' A fund was set up to help him.
