Drill Rapper Bandokay, Son of Mark Duggan—whose death ignited the 2011 London riots—jailed for 5 years on firearms charges

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Bandokay, Son of Mark Duggan, Sentenced for Firearms OffencesBandokay, Son of Mark Duggan, Sentenced for Firearms Offences

Kemani Duggan, also known as Bandokay, the son of the late Mark Duggan, has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to firearms possession. The 23-year-old drill rapper, whose father’s death at the hands of the Metropolitan Police in 2011 sparked widespread riots across London and other English cities, was convicted of possessing a Tokarev pistol and 22 rounds of ammunition with intent to cause fear of violence.

Kemani Duggan, arrested at Gatwick Airport in January, was initially charged with possessing a Tokarev pistol and 22 rounds of ammunition with the intent to endanger life. However, he later pled guilty to the lesser charge of possession with intent to cause fear of violence. His associate Abdou Bojang, 22, from Hackney, was jailed for the same term after pleading guilty to possession of a prohibited firearm and ammunition without a firearm certificate.

The charges against Duggan and Bojang stemmed from a police raid on Bojang’s parent’s flat in Hackney on 21 March last year. During the raid, police discovered the firearm and ammunition in a communal underground car park, concealed in a JD Sports bag that also contained two foot-long knives. Duggan’s DNA was found on the gun slide, and a Snapchat photo of the same gun was discovered on his phone. Just before the weapon was found, Bojang messaged Duggan: “Yooo bro, where yu, There’s feds in my block akh. I might be getting nicked.”

Prosecutor Diana Wilson described Duggan as a well-known drill rapper associated with the Old Farm Boys (OFB) criminal gang based on the Broadwater Farm Estate in Tottenham, north London. “The prosecution expert has concluded that there is no question that over the years he is an elder or senior gang member in the OFB,” she said. Wilson added that Duggan’s high profile, due to his successful music career and his status as Mark Duggan’s son, made him a target for violence from rival gang members.

Wilson stated that Duggan’s plea was based on the need for self-protection. The musician claimed he carried the gun to “scare any prospective aggressor away”. Duggan, who was 10 years old when his father was killed, has often expressed the long-term effects of losing his father in his lyrics.

Mark Duggan’s shooting in August 2011 by an officer known only as V53 led to almost a week of riots in London and other cities. Armed officers had intercepted a minicab Duggan was traveling in based on intelligence that he was carrying a gun. A pistol was later found about 23 feet away from the vehicle. An inquest jury concluded in 2014 that Mark Duggan was lawfully killed, a verdict upheld by both the High Court and the Court of Appeal despite multiple appeals by the Duggan family.

During sentencing at the Old Bailey, Judge Philip Katz KC addressed Kemani Duggan, stating, “It is accepted that there were grounds for a fear that people might try to attack you, Duggan. You have a high profile, arising not only from your own career as an artist in the genre of drill rap, with all its gang associations, but also from your unfortunate life history.” Both defendants waved to supporters in the public gallery as they were led away from the dock.

The case has drawn significant attention due to the controversial history surrounding Mark Duggan’s death and the subsequent 2011 London riots. Despite the high-profile nature of the case and Duggan’s assertions of self-defense, the court emphasized the seriousness of firearm offenses and the mandatory minimum sentence of five years for such crimes.

Video Production News was in court on the 5th of July to bring you the court’s decision on this case and the full sentencing details.

Well, that’s all for now. But until our next article, please stay tuned, stay informed, but most of all stay safe, and I’ll see you then.Well, that’s all for now. But until our next article, please stay tuned, stay informed, but most of all stay safe, and I’ll see you then.

Bénédict Tarot FreemanBénédict Tarot Freeman

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