Violent gang member jailed after a Rochester robbery

A violent gang member is joining his accomplices in prison after targeting a man in his Rochester home.

During the evening of 4 February 2021, David Akande along with Mahei Ahmad, Mohammed Maow and Thami Ngqobongwana travelled to an address near Shorts Way, Borstal with a number of other unidentified men.

Once there, the group forcibly entered a house and one of them punched a man inside whilst demanding money. After the victim surrendered his wallet, his mother was also threatened before the gang left the premises.

Arrests

The police were alerted and officers established that some of the offenders had been using a Smart Car. The vehicle was stopped by a patrol on the A2 near Bean just over an hour later.

The driver, Ahmad, and his passenger, Maow, were arrested. When the vehicle was searched the victim’s bank cards were recovered from under one of the seats along with a quantity of cannabis.

An investigation by the Chief Constable’s Crime Squad identified Ngqobongwana and Akande as also having been involved. They were arrested in Gillingham on 8 February and 12 February respectively.

Akande, of Arden Street, Gillingham; Ngqobongwana, of Trafalgar Street, Gillingham; Ahmad, of Herbert Road, Aldersbrook, Greater London and Maow, of Melford Road, East Ham were all charged with robbery. Ahmad was also charged with possession of a class B drug, driving a vehicle without a licence and no insurance.

Guilty

All four pleaded not guilty and were convicted after a trial at Maidstone Crown Court. On 29 April 2022 at the same court, Ngqobongwana was jailed for seven years and on 5 May, 30-year-old Ahmad was sentenced to seven years and three months' imprisonment. The latter also had his driving licence endorsed with eight points.

At Maidstone Crown Court on Monday 16 January 2023, Akande, aged 34, was jailed for six years and ten months. Mohammed Maow will be sentenced on a date to be confirmed.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Dan Bister said: ‘While investigators were never able to confirm their actual roles in the robbery, we were able to prove all four played a significant part in a crime that terrorised the occupants at the address.
‘We were greatly assisted by the early actions of attending officers who ensured the arrest of two suspects as they sought to leave the county and this led to the identification of the other two offenders.
‘I would like to commend the victims and witnesses who have been key to ensuring these men were brought to justice and no longer pose a danger to the public.’