A man has been sentenced to life behind bars for the murder of 22-year-old Badri Issa in Moss Side last year.
22-year-old Raami Mohamed, from Manchester, was found guilty of murder following a two week trial at Manchester Crown Court, and was subsequently sentenced to to life with a minimum term of 18 years last Friday (7 June 2024).
Another man, who has been named as Kevell Blake, was also found guilty of manslaughter, and is to be sentenced at a later date.
It sentencing comes after Badri Issa met up with his friend to go to their regular gym class on Wednesday 25 October 2023, and as they travelled along Princess Road towards Manchester city centre, they noticed a white car driving next to them and trying to get their attention.
Raami Mohamed – who was driving the white vehicle – gestured for Badri’s friend, Omar Jeylaani, to pull over, and both cars turned onto Moss Lane East and parked in the bus layby.
Badri Issa, pictured on the day of his graduation / Credit: GMP (via Family Handout)
According to Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Badri’s friend got out of the car, but was confronted by Mohamed, who appeared agitated and aggressive, and so Badri got out of the car to try and de-escalate the situation, but was stabbed in the process, and as he collapsed, the men then continued a violent assault on Badri’s friend.
The horrific events all played out in broad daylight, GMP revealed – with a number of passers-by and commuters attempting to intervene.
Once emergency services attended the scene, Badri was taken to hospital for further treatment, but sadly, despite the best efforts of everyone involved, he later died as a result of his injuries.
Following Badri’s passing, GMP’s Major Incident Team launched an investigation.
After hours of looking through CCTV enquiries, police were able to build a picture of the suspect’s movements in the days and hours before the attack.
The car that Mohamed and Blake were in was soon located in a car park on Arrow Street in Manchester, and was recovered for the forensic examination, where the blood of the victim was detected near the gear stick.
#JAILED | The killer of Badri Issa has received a life sentence with a minimum term of 18 years.
Raami Mohamed was previously found guilty of murder
Paying tribute, Badri's family said he was 'a friend, a confidant, and a beacon of light'
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) June 7, 2024
A warrant was executed at Mohamed’s last known address, but despite him not being present, police seized evidence linking him to the white car, and leading to him being arrested on Heaton Street in Prestwich later that evening, all before another warrant was executed at the home address of Kevell Blake where police seized crucial items of clothing which were consistent with what was worn in the hours after the attack.
Telecommunications data revealed “extensive contact between the pair in the lead up to the attack”, according to GMP.
“Badri Issa was so young when he lost his life in the most tragic way,” commented Detective Chief Inspector Andy Naismith, from GMP’s Major Incident Team, following Mohamed’s sentencing last week.
“Having just graduated from university, he was on the cusp of starting a new life, a new career, and reaching new milestones, but he paid the ultimate price for trying to de-escalate a situation.
“Since day one, Badri has been at the heart of our investigation, and we have had teams of officers working around the clock to find answers for his family. I know that no outcome will ever lessen the pain his family feel, but I hope that today’s sentencing goes some way to giving his loved ones some comfort knowing that his killers are behind bars.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has officially been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2025.
Taking over the reins from Bolton – which held the title in 2024 – and following in the footsteps of Stockport before that, which held the title in 2023, and even hosted a massive ‘Town of Culture Weekender’ festival with 50+ free events to celebrate and bring its title year to a close, it’s now the turn of the north-eastern Greater Manchester borough of Rochdale.
Rochdale’s year will build on the town’s already-rich cultural history and international reputation as the home of the co-operative movement.
More than 35 arts organisations will be bringing together an ambitious programme of festivals, exhibitions, events, and performances throughout the year.
Unfamiliar with what the ‘Greater Manchester Town of Culture’ title is all about? It’s an accolade that’s handed out every year to different boroughs across the region.
Bury was the inaugural title-holder 2020 and held onto it in 2021 too due to the COVID pandemic, before being followed by Stalybridge in 2022, Stockport in 2023, and of course, Bolton in the year just gone.
The title celebrates Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage.
As well as getting a new title to shout about, it also sees the towns given a grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) culture fund to help develop a programme of cultural events and activities throughout the year.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025 / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
In Rochdale’s case, you can expect the ‘very best local talent’, as this year is promising to put ‘people power’ centre stage, with residents helping to plan, develop, and deliver a lineup of creative activities, alongside a number of major events.
This includes the popular free days out for families, an exciting new urban arts festival, two different food and drink festivals, a lantern parade, the Ignite Fire Festival, a Pride parade, and so much more.
You can also expect live music performances, a new people’s gallery, and even some major international collaborations that are yet to be announced.
Rochdale is taking over the reins from Bolton, which held the title in 2024 / Credit: Rochdale Council
“Rochdale is a place with a rich cultural history, so it is great to name it Greater Manchester’s town of culture as it’s town hall and town centre enter a new era,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as the borough was crowned this week.
“Rochdale submitted a fantastic bid for this which, was incredibly exciting and ambitious, while being firmly rooted in its local talent and deep history.
“We are definitely going to see the very best of what Rochdale has to offer over the next 12 months and people will come from far and wide to see it.”
Featured Image – Rochdale Council
News
The Lowry Theatre undergoes revamp following Biffa Award grant
Danny Jones
The Lowry in Salford Quays has had a bit of TLC with one of its biggest theatre spaces undergoing a pretty significant refurb this past month.
Following a well-deserved grant distributed via the Biffa Award, a multi-million-pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through community and environmental projects across the UK, the legendary local theatre received nearly £75k last year.
As a result, all 440 seats and various other aspects of The Lowry‘s Quays Theatre have now been renovated and refurbished.
The short story is, she looks more gorgeous than ever – see for yourself:
Being initially handed over in March 2024, The Lowry was awarded a total of £74,816 to reupholster seating in the venue’s Quays Theatre with new padding and fabric.
After almost 25 years of constant use as one of the most popular theatres in the North, the seats in the Quays Theatre were much in need of a refurb, and with work completed in December, Lowry visitors can now enjoy watching the venue’s wide range of theatre, dance, comedy and drama in comfort.
The work was actually carried out between July and December, with seats being carefully removed in batches and reupholstered off-site.
This was made possible due to the Biffa Award’s most recent ‘Cultural Facilities’ theme, which aims to improve recreation, interest and education, drawing funds from the UK government’s wider Landfill Communities Fund.
The old fabric and padding were disposed of sustainably, with lots of it being repurposed where possible to minimise waste and all the new materials used meet current guidance for safety and quality.
The Lowry’s Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Development, Gwen Oakden, said of the long overdue update:“It is so important that our audiences are able to enjoy our world-class performing arts programme in a comfortable and welcoming space.
“For many visitors to the Quays Theatre, this is their first experience of live performance – often to see a family show or as part of a school trip. We really want it to be the best experience possible, and for them to begin a lifelong relationship with Lowry.
“As a registered charity, without the generous support of this Biffa Award, for which we’re hugely grateful, we couldn’t have carried out this important work for our audiences.
As we head into our 25th Anniversary year, we are delighted to be able to welcome audiences and visitors can enjoy the beautiful and revived Quays Theatre.”
As for the Biffa side of things, Grants Manager Rachel Maidment added: “We are delighted to have supported The Lowry in refurbishing the Quays Theatre seating, ensuring audiences can continue to enjoy performances in comfort.
“Through Biffa’s Cultural Facilities theme, we fund projects that provide engaging and inspiring spaces for communities. The Lowry is a key cultural venue, and we’re proud that our funding, made possible through the government Fund, has helped enhance the experience for visitors for years to come.”
Like most Mancs, we love The Lowry, so here’s to hosting countless more theatregoers in the most comfortable seats possible for generations to come.
We’ve been to some brilliant performances around here of late.
Emily Sergeant -
10th June 2024 
