Romford: Two Jailed For Riots Student Attack

15 March 2012, 12:26

Two men have been jailed today for pretending to be Good Samaritans to steal from an injured Malaysian student during the London riots.

Ashraf Rossli, 21, had been in Britain for a month when he was knocked to the ground and left a bloodied mess in the capital on August 8 last year.

Moments after his jaw was smashed and his bicycle stolen, John Kafunda, 22, was caught on camera lifting him up and appearing to shepherd him from trouble.

Seconds later Kafunda and Reece Donovan, 22, began rifling through Mr Rossli's rucksack as the victim's back was to them and robbed him of a PSP games console and 10 games worth £500.

As police hunted the offenders, the footage was posted on YouTube and broadcast on news channels, causing global outrage.

Donovan, of Cross Road in Romford, was sentenced to a total of five years for robbery, violent disorder and burglary offences at Wood Green Crown Court, Scotland Yard said.

Kafunda, of Eastwood Road, Ilford, was sentenced to three and a half years for robbery and nine months for violent disorder, to run consecutively, the force added.

Beau Isagba, 18, was last week jailed for seven years over the attack. Isagba, of Ilford, was convicted of punching Mr Rossli in the face, smashing his jaw, and cycling off with his bicycle.

Mr Rossli, an accountancy student, won universal support and admiration after the attack and a campaign was launched to raise money for him. Mr Rossli, who is slim and 5ft 4in, now has two metal plates in his jaw.

Kafunda and Donovan denied the charges but two witnesses, who were granted anonymity, told the trial they recognised them.