A Bitish-Nigerian man has been jailed in the United Kingdom after being found guilty of murdering a woman he randomly attacked on a street in Leicester, following a car crash while under the influence of cannabis.
Chukwuemeka Michael Ahanonu, 24, violently attacked 56-year-old Nila Patel during the late afternoon of Tuesday, 24 June last year on Infirmary Road, Leicester.
Just minutes earlier, Ahanonu had crashed his car in the area after driving dangerously and erratically around the city centre, including swerving across lanes, running traffic lights, driving toward a bus stop where people were waiting, and putting pedestrians at risk.
Following his arrest at the scene, it was discovered that Ahanonu had been smoking cannabis and had dealer bags of the drug in his vehicle.
Ms Patel, described by her family as a “beautiful, vibrant soul” and “one of the most kind-hearted people you could ever meet,” had been on a bus in the area at the time of the collision.
She had alighted from the bus and was walking home when the attack occurred.
Security officers from the nearby Leicester Royal Infirmary rushed to the scene and restrained Ahanonu until police arrived.
Medical staff from the hospital provided emergency support to Ms Patel, who was taken to hospital with severe injuries, including a fractured skull and brain injury. She sadly passed away two days later.
Ahanonu was initially arrested at the scene, and an investigation was launched by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit Major Incident Team. Following Ms Patel’s death on Thursday, 26 June 2025, he was re-arrested on suspicion of murder.
Yesterday (Monday), following a trial at Leicester Crown Court, Ahanonu, of Dover Street, Leicester, was found guilty by a jury of the murder of Ms Patel.
At the start of the trial, Ahanonu had pleaded guilty to:
Dangerous driving
Possession with intent to supply class B drugs – dealer bags of cannabis worth over £3,000 were seized from a rucksack in the car along with three iPhones belonging to Ahanonu
Assault of an emergency worker – Ahanonu bit a female police officer following his arrest
Today (Tuesday), he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 21 years and six months.
Ahanonu was found not guilty of a charge of common assault, which related to an incident involving a woman known to him in London on the morning of 24 June.
Investigations revealed Ahanonu’s movements on 24 June, showing that he had driven from London to his Leicester address that morning.
CCTV footage captured him leaving his flat at 5:28 pm, driving through the city centre, and colliding with a kerb outside a bus stop in Welford Road at 5:31 pm, where people were waiting.
At 5:32 pm, he took a right-hand bend at an ambulance entrance to Leicester Royal Infirmary, drove onto the wrong side of the road, and crashed through railings separating the pavement from the road, overturning the vehicle.
As bystanders rushed to assist him, Ahanonu freed himself and ran along the road, where he violently attacked Ms Patel. Witnesses reported him punching, kicking, and stamping on her until hospital security staff intervened with four guards restraining him.
During a police interview, Ahanonu stated he could only recall the collision and had no memory of attacking Ms Patel.
He was charged three days later, on Friday, 27 June, and remanded into custody.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Emma Matts, said, “Ahanonu was unknown to Ms Patel. After crashing his vehicle, he ran from the scene violently attacking Ms Patel. This was the most horrific, violent and random attack by a stranger on a kind, gentle and loving woman who was simply making her way home. It is hard to imagine what Ms Patel went through in those moments. My thoughts continue to remain with her and with her family and friends who have suffered and continue to suffer the most horrendous distress and pain.”
Speaking about the investigation, DI Matts added, “Footage we obtained during our enquiries which showed Ahanonu’s movements in the vehicle just prior to the collision is frightening and disturbing. At the time of the incident, there were a lot of people in the area who witnessed the collision and subsequent attack, with a number bravely trying to help Ms Patel and also apprehending Ahanonu. A lot of witnesses also spoke to us following the incident which undoubtedly helped us in securing this conviction. I commend the bravery of those who helped at the scene for their courageous actions. They put the safety of others before themselves. I also want to thank the many people who spoke to us in difficult circumstances and helped us to establish the full circumstances of what had happened, especially staff from the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. I know that what those people witnessed on that horrific afternoon will stay with them for a very long time.”
DI Matts concluded, “This has been a difficult investigation and I do also want to thank officers and staff who were both involved in the response that day in very frightening and challenging circumstances as well as in the investigation that followed. Thank you for your hard work, your dedication and your professionalism to ensure that Ahanonu was brought before the courts and to allow us to get some answers for Ms Patel and her family.”
