Man sentenced for murder of Alex Innes – Oxford

A man who stabbed and killed Alex Innes in Oxford last year has today (8/9) been jailed for life to serve a minimum term of 25 years.

Following an investigation by Thames Valley Police’s Major Crime Unit, Greg Muinami, aged 19, of Cranham Street, Oxford, was found guilty on 23 June by a unanimous jury verdict of one count each of murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place following a trial at Oxford Crown Court.

Alex was enjoying a night out in Jericho, Oxford, on Saturday 12 November 2022 when Muinami began arguing with him at the Love Jericho cocktail bar over a perceived debt of £100 for a pair of trainers.

The argument continued at the corner of Walton Street and Walton Crescent.

At some stage, out of CCTV view, Alex was stabbed to the chest by Muinami, causing an immediate catastrophic injury.

Despite the best efforts of members of the public, police officers and medical professionals, Alex was tragically declared deceased at just before 1.30am the following morning.

Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Jon Capps, of Thames Valley Police’s Major Crime Unit, said: “This was an utterly horrific and abhorrent attack by Muinami, who had pre-armed himself with a knife that night

“I did not know Alex, but during the course of our investigation on the back of these tragic and needless circumstances, I learned a lot about who he was and how much he meant to his family and friends.

“Alex went out that Saturday evening for what should have an enjoyable and social night out. He had every right to feel safe. He was happy; friends say that Alex was always happy.

“Muinami chose to arm himself with a knife; he intended to use it to resolve what he perceived to be an argument over a pair of trainers and him owing an associated debt of £100.

“Alex tried to resolve things amicably, but Muinami chose to act in a horrific way to fatally stab him in a needless act of violence.

“Since that night, Muinami has shown to be a coward, giving no account for his actions and showing absolutely no remorse.

“He was seen walking away from the scene and walking past Alex, who was receiving emergency treatment.

“He did not stop. He disposed of evidence, including his phone, clothing and the murder weapon, before being sighted again only 30 minutes later, back in the city centre, in a change of clothing, trying to get into a nightclub.

“This is a measure of the type of individual Muinami is.

“He has now been sentenced accordingly and will serve a very long time in prison as a direct result of his actions.

“I would like to pay tribute to Alex’s family.

“Throughout this ordeal, they have shown enormous dignity and strength. Facing every parent’s worst nightmare, having seen and heard all the evidence, their strength to see justice done for Alex has been truly humbling.

“They have put their trust in our investigation. My team have worked tirelessly to ensure Muinami has been held to account for his actions.

“I know that no sentence will be complete solace for Alex’s family, but I hope this is a measure of justice for them.”

“Thames Valley Police will not tolerate anybody carrying a knife.

“If you do so, it puts people in danger. It makes you more likely to use it and in doing so, you will very likely cause serious harm, or worse.

“You are also more likely to be a victim of knife crime yourself, and those actions will devastate the lives of everyone involved forever.

“Tackling knife crime is a top priority for Thames Valley Police because of the untold harm this causes. Operation Deter proactively targets those who choose to carry knives in our communities, seeking swift prosecution in such circumstances.

“We will never tire of putting those who carry knives before the courts. Operation Deter is just one element of our fight against knife crime, and where individuals are caught in possession of a knife, we will charge and remand them to prison swiftly and bring them to justice.”

KB

Greg Muinami