Three men have been jailed for nearly 40 years after a new police forensics team linked them to multiple offences – involving the same gun.
Richard Ojo, 25, Myron Hyllam, 27, and Mamud Mansaray, 26, were locked up for a combined total of 39 years for their role in four shootings in London in 2016.
Operation Esyia looked into four firearms offences which took place in Lambeth and Wandsworth between August 14 and September 3, 2016.
Richard Ojo (middle), 25, Myron Hyllam (left), 27, and Mamud Mansaray (right), 26, were locked to a combined total of 39 years for their role in four shootings in London in 2016
Ojo (left), of Lambeth, was jailed for 16 years for his role in the four shootings between August and September 2016. While Mansaray (right), of Tower Hamlets, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob and was sentenced the same day to five years and ten months in prison
The Trident Active Series Linked Team used forensic analysis to identify when the same weapon was used in a shooting and remained in circulation.
The new police team, which is part of Metropolitan Police Trident and Area Crime Command, was set up on January 2017.
The firearm, believed to be a self-loading pistol, has never been recovered but examination of ammunition found at the scene helped the police link the four offences.
Forensics found the offences were linked by the same gun and the year long investigation lead to the conviction of the three men.
The first offence took place Wandsworth shortly after 11pm on August 14, 2016 when a victim was robbed at gunpoint while sitting in his car.
He tried to run away but was shot in the leg and the thieves stole a Rolex watch and two gold chains.
Detectives found the Rolex watch during a search of Ojo’s home address in March 2017 and the two gold chains were recovered from Mansaray’s vehicle when it was searched after his arrest.
Hyllam, Mansaray and Ojo were stopped by police in a silver Mitsubishi Outlander a few days before the shooting.
Analysis of their mobile phone records also linked the three men to the first offence.
The same handgun was then discharged in Robertson Street in Wandsworth on August 17, 2016, just before 3am.
Hyllam, of Brixton, was jailed for 18 years. He and Ojo were both found guilty of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life and conspiracy to rob after an eight-week trial at Woolwich Crown Court in October
CCTV footage showed three cars in convoy at the scene and two people getting out, run out of shot – before leaving in the same car.
Another shooting linked to the same weapon took place in the Springhill estate in Lambeth shortly after 9pm on August 22, 2016.
Police said two people were driving and about to turn into the estate when they saw a man fire three shots.
Forensics found the same firearm had been used but the investigation was not able to determine whether or not the shots had been directed towards a person. No evidence was found to link Ojo, Mansaray or Hyllam to this offence.
The final shooting took place on September 3, 2016, in Lambeth where CCTV evidence showed shots may have been fired towards someone who was seen to run away, but no victim was ever found.
Last year Ojo and Hyllam were both found guilty of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life and conspiracy to rob in after an eight-week trial at Woolwich Crown Court in October.
Ojo, of Lambeth, was jailed for 16 years, while Hyllam, of Brixton, was jailed to 18 years.
On Monday this week Mansaray, of Tower Hamlets, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob and was sentenced the same day to five years’ and ten months imprisonment.
He was found not guilty of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Detective Inspector Edward Facer, of the Met’s Trident team said: ‘The arrests and convictions of these men are the result of a year-long investigation that involved in-depth analysis of the four incidents, phone records, CCTV and forensic examination of ammunition found at the four scenes of crime.
‘This investigation demonstrates how we are able to prosecute those responsible for firearms offences, even if there are no witnesses to a shooting.
‘The lengthy sentences handed to these defendants should send out a message that gun crime will not be tolerated and we will relentlessly pursue anyone involved in firearms offences.’
Detective Superintendent Mike Balcombe, also from Trident Command, said: ‘The Active Series Linked Team was set up with the intention of prosecuting those responsible for multiple firearms offences.
‘Through outstanding police work and expert forensic analysis, three men responsible for a series of firearms offences have been taken off the streets of London.’