A Nigerian national, Chukwuemeka Ahanonu, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a 56-year-old woman he attacked on a street in Leicester, United Kingdom, after crashing his car while under the influence of cannabis.

According to a report by Leicestershire Police, the 24-year-old assaulted Nila Patel on June 24, 2025, along Infirmary Road. Following a trial at Leicester Crown Court, he was found guilty by a jury on Monday and sentenced the following day.

Police said Ahanonu had been driving dangerously around the city centre prior to the incident, swerving across lanes, running red lights, and veering toward pedestrians before crashing his vehicle. After the crash, he fled the scene and attacked Patel, who had just alighted from a bus and was walking home.

At the time of his arrest, officers discovered he had been smoking cannabis. Dealer bags of the substance valued at over £3,000, along with three iPhones, were recovered from his car. He had earlier pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, possession of cannabis with intent to supply, and assaulting an emergency worker after biting a female police officer.

Security personnel from the nearby Leicester Royal Infirmary restrained him until officers arrived, while medical staff treated Patel for severe injuries, including a fractured skull and brain trauma. She died two days later, prompting his re-arrest on suspicion of murder on June 26, 2025.

Senior Investigating Officer, Emma Matts, described the incident as “a horrific, violent and random attack” on an innocent woman. She added that Ahanonu was unknown to the victim and that CCTV footage of his driving before the crash was “frightening and disturbing.” Matts also commended members of the public who intervened, noting their swift actions helped secure justice.

In a separate development, two Ireland-based men, Francis Ogbuefi, 42, and Steven Silvester, 32, were sentenced to a combined 16 years in prison for their roles in a global money laundering scheme.

According to Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the duo were prosecuted following an investigation by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau. Ogbuefi received a nine-year sentence, while Silvester was handed seven and a half years.

Authorities said the cases highlight growing concerns over transnational crimes involving some foreign nationals.