Man jailed for 16 years after Met investigation into fatal shooting

A man responsible for a fatal shooting in Mitcham in an act of revenge after his friend had been stabbed has been jailed.

Following a Met investigation, Denzel Kwateng, 22 (14.05.02) of Parkway, New Addington was found guilty on 30 May of the manslaughter of Tyrese Miller.

He was sentenced at the Old Bailey on 6 September to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 16 years. Kwateng was also found guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life, and perverting the course of justice.

Two other males - Cheick Cisse, 29 (02.11.94) of Pawsons Road, Thornton Heath and Mario Serban, (06.07.06) 18, of Eltham, Greenwich, - were found guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life after police arrested them in possession of the shotgun used in the shooting. Cisse was sentenced to seven years imprsonment and Serban was given an 18-month youth rehabilitation order.

The court heard evidence that 22-year-old Tyrese Miller had been fatally shot in Mitcham at around 02:15hrs on 4 April 2023. The killing took place hours after a male known to the defendants had been stabbed in Croydon, shortly before midnight on 3 April 2023.

Cisse and the 17-year-old male were seen acting suspiciously in the vicinity of Gloucester Road at around 17:40hrs on 6 April and a member of the public called police. The pair were stopped in a taxi by police a short distance away. Inside the taxi was a shotgun and cartridges, all contained in a bag that detectives had established Kwateng had been carrying on the morning of the shooting.

Officers searched the pair, and the 17-year-old was found to be in possession of a machete while Cisse was also found to be carrying a lock knife.

Forensic analysis of the bag revealed a match for Kwateng’s DNA. Kwateng later admitted being in possession of the gun but claimed it fired accidentally – fatally shooting Tyrese.

Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley led the investigation and said: “This investigation has painstakingly gathered evidence to put the defendants before the court. My team has carefully pieced together their various movement, using CCTV and other footage along with forensic material and data obtained from mobile devices to cross-check how events unfolded that evening.

“I have spoken with Tyrese’s family and, although the trial has not provided them with the complete picture that they had wished for, I have expressed my sincere hope that they can obtain some degree of comfort from the sentences handed down today.”