A 25-year-old suspect has been arrested in Lisbon, Portugal, over his alleged involvement in the brutal killing of Alexander John Soyoye during a gang clash in Manchester, United Kingdom, in November 2020.
The arrest was announced on Tuesday by the Polícia Judiciária, Portugal’s criminal investigation police, which said the suspect was tracked down and detained in Lisbon years after the fatal attack.
According to the police, the suspect was a member of a gang that took part in a violent confrontation organised through social media, during which rival groups clashed with knives, sabres, baseball bats and other weapons.
Authorities said the suspect allegedly attacked Soyoye with a bladed weapon during the clash, leading to the victim’s death. After the incident, he reportedly fled to Portugal, where he worked in the construction sector while concealing his identity.
The police added that the suspect would be presented before the Lisbon Court of Appeal for further legal proceedings and the determination of appropriate custodial measures.
The latest arrest came five years after several suspects were convicted in connection with the murder.
In 2021, six men, Brent Tchipenda, Francesco Raji, Christopher Semedo, Antonio Octavio, Ismiel Correia and Nelson Correia, were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment with minimum jail terms ranging between 20 and 24 years.
A teenage suspect, who was 16 at the time of the attack, was also found guilty of murder and sentenced to 16 years in prison, while Mohammed Al-Jaf was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter and violent disorder.
Investigations revealed that Soyoye, who was 16 at the time of the incident, died during a violent confrontation between rival street gangs, a conflict said to have been fuelled by exchanges on social media and drill rap lyrics.
Police said the victim was linked to a Moston-based gang known as M40, which had been involved in an ongoing dispute with a rival group identified as Representing the Danger, based in Rochdale and Oldham.
According to the Greater Manchester Police, Soyoye was injured during the confrontation while being chased by rival gang members.
As he attempted to escape along Birchenall Street, he became separated from his group and eventually collapsed due to his injuries.
Investigators said a group of attackers caught up with him and repeatedly stabbed, struck and kicked him until he died, while one of the assailants recorded the assault.
