Rapper Tamba Momodu, 20, 'Singled Out for Death' in Gym Car Park Shooting, Court Hears

A young rapper was "singled out for death" in a "cold-blooded revenge execution" outside a gym car park, a court has been told. Tamba Momodu, aged 20, was shot six times at point-blank range in a meticulously planned attack that prosecutors describe as "merciless" and "choreographed with military precision".

Alleged Revenge Plot Unfolds

Four men are currently on trial at Leicester Crown Court, all denying murder charges in connection with the shooting. Prosecutors allege that the killing was a revenge plot stemming from a previous incident in London. Tamba Momodu had been cleared of murdering 19-year-old Abdullahi Tarabi in April 2017, a stabbing in an alleyway in Northolt, West London, where he was acquitted on grounds of self-defence.

The court heard that Abdullahi's older brother, Mahamud Tarabi, and his cousin, Ahmed Karshe, enlisted the help of two other men to track down Tamba. Prosecutors claim the family members decided "to take the law into their own hands after thinking justice had failed them."

Tracking the Victim to Telford

After his acquittal, Tamba fled from London to Telford with his family. However, his new location was inadvertently revealed when he was convicted of drug dealing in October 2019. A Welsh news media report on his conviction included his home address in Donnington, Telford, which the defendants allegedly used to trace him.

Prosecuting barrister James Curtis KC told the court that the defendants utilised Google Earth and social media to locate Tamba. A screenshot of a Google Earth picture of his address was found circled on Mahamud Tarabi’s phone after it was seized by police. Tamba's social media activity, including a post announcing "good to be home" and a picture of himself at the Fitness Factory gym in Telford, further aided their efforts.

Meticulous Planning and Multiple Attempts

The court was informed that the four defendants made 16 trips to Telford in total, using various cars, including a stolen Skoda Karoq described as "the murder car." They left this vehicle on a side road in Wellington to avoid suspicion. CCTV footage captured the Skoda "lying in wait" at the Bridges Business Park on three unsuccessful attempts to murder Tamba.

On October 13, 2020, the fourth attempt proved fatal. Tamba arrived at the gym in a Renault Megane with friends. Two men in the Skoda, wearing high-visibility tabards, had waited for 40 minutes. As Tamba's car parked next to the Skoda, a gunman in an orange tabard approached and fired six shots in quick succession through the passenger window.

Fatal Outcome and Legal Proceedings

Tamba Momodu was declared dead by paramedics 40 minutes later. A post-mortem examination revealed he suffered multiple gunshot wounds, including fatal shots to the heart and lung. The Skoda was later found burnt out in a car park near the Wrekin.

Mr Curtis emphasised that the prosecution argues all four men in the dock are "equally culpable" and complicit in the killing, not just the trigger man. Evidence presented shows each defendant had a car or phone linked to trips to Telford before the murder.

The defendants are: