A RAPPER has been jailed for life after shooting his "friend" during a bungled robbery in Croydon.
Daniel Tesfay, 26, was convicted of the murder of Jonathan Barnes at the Old Bailey on Monday and told he must serve a minimum of 30 years.
The court heard police were called shortly before 9pm on August 23 last year, to reports of shots being fired at a property in Morland Road, Addiscombe.
On arrival officers found 21-year-old Mr Barnes, who had suffered a gunshot wound to the head. He was taken to hospital but died two days later.
During the trial, the court heard that on the night of the shooting Tesfay – whose stage name is "Wolfie" – and Mr Barnes went to Morland Road for a pre-arranged appointment to view and potentially purchase Rolex watches.
After inspecting the watches they left the property briefly but returned a short while later and agreed a price with the sellers.
Tesfay produced a gun and threatened the sellers. With the watches in their possession the pair attempted to leave the property.
A scuffle ensued and Tesfay, of Tollgate Gardens, in Kilburn, fired the gun he had been holding twice.
The first bullet hit the staircase and the second hit Mr Barnes.
Tesfay fled the scene before the arrival of the emergency services but was arrested a week later by officers who saw him leaving a hotel in the Earls Court area of London.
Tesfay was charged with the murder of Jonathan Barnes and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.
He was found guilty of both charges and given 10 years for the firearms offence. This will run concurrently with the life sentence.
The court heard Tesfay's criminal record included convictions for possessing knives and an air gun in public, threatening behaviour, assaulting a police officer, and possessing cannabis.
