Ronan Kanda was just 16 when he was stabbed in the back in a case of mistaken identity with a zombie knife bought from a company linked to at least seven murders
A 16-year-old boy has been pictured moments before he was stabbed to death as his killer ran at him carrying a terrifying zombie knife.
Ronan Kanda was murdered yards from his home in Wolverhampton after he visited a friend’s house to buy a PlayStation controller in June 2022. His attackers, one of whom had just collected knives bought online, mistook him for his friend.
Chilling CCTV of Ronan’s murder features in the latest episode of 24 Hours in Police Custody which shows officers seizing thousands of deadly knives and machetes from two brothers, Adam and Eddy Eliaz. The Mirror revealed two years ago that the businessmen ran companies legally importing and selling deadly blades some of which have been used in murders including Ronan’s.
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They went on to claim at least £360,000 for handing their stock of knives and machetes to police when zombie-style knives were finally banned in 2024. At least seven fatal attacks have been linked to weapons sold by the companies, which have found their way into the hands of thugs under 18.
Ronan’s sister Nikita, said of Adam Eliaz: “He in my eyes is part of the reason why my brother is not here. He played a part because he sold that weapon, he made a profit off that weapon so he was basically profiting off my brother’s murder. It hurts to know they got all that profit, I think they have profited enough off people like me.”
The programme shows a clip of Eliaz appearing in Junior Apprentice when he said: “I love making money, I would do anything if it brings money into my pocket.”
Det Insp Ade George, who investigated Ronan’s murder, said: “I don’t think he understood the seriousness of what had happened and I don’t think the company understood that actually something you have sold has been used to murder somebody. Myself and members of the team felt the attitude on Junior Apprentice had played out in real life.”
The Channel 4 documentary, due to air on Tuesday night, also features the tragic murder 16-year-old Ashraf Habimana who was stabbed with a zombie knife in Luton in September 2024. Disturbing body worn camera footage from paramedics shows terrified Ashraf lying in an ambulance asking: “Am I going to live?”
Moments later his frantic mother, Fiona Namusoke, arrives but is prevented from seeing her dying son as she falls to her knees sobbing: “I need to see him”. Fiona told the programme: “I went to the hospital and there was a queue but they allowed me to go ahead.
“I was waiting in the waiting room and they came out and told me Ashraf had died, they told me my baby was stabbed. I feel like he died by himself with nobody holding his hand. At least I could have told him it is okay to die, your mother is here, she will join you one day.”
Ashraf had texted her at 7.03pm saying: “Can you not pick me up please mum or should I walk”. Fiona said: “I replied and he never got to see the message.” Dr Muhamma Asaria, who treated Ashraf at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital, said the injuries were the most severe he had ever seen.
“The wounds looked small from the outside but the knife used to stab him was very long and the wounds went from the back of his chest into the lung and came out the lung from the front,” the doctor said. “The knife used has serrated edges and was designed to cause maximum damage so as it went in and went out it was destroying as many of the blood vessels as it could and was causing maximum bleeding.
“When we opened his chest there was a lot of blood. It’s something I can’t forget, I can’t get out of my head. It’s something that I wake up to every morning remembering trying to resuscitate him. It’s something that will live with me for the rest of my life.”
Athif Hussaindeen was given a minimum custodial term of 24 years after being convicted of murdering Ashraf. His brother Althaf Hussaindeen was given a seven-year minimum term after being convicted of manslaughter.
The judge at Luton Crown Court heard how Ashraf had been unarmed and had tried to get away, but had been punched by Althaf, then stabbed in the back by Athif. Prabjeet Veadhesa, 17, who mistook Ronan for someone else, was jailed for a minimum of 18 years. Sukhman Shergill, 17, got a minimum of 16 years.
Adam Eliaz, 33, was the director and major shareholder of online shop DNA Leisure, which has surrendered 1,542 knives in the scheme. It has now ceased trading. Eddy Eliaz, 46, is managing director and major shareholder of Sporting Wholesale, which imported knives in bulk and sold them to retailers.
They were criticised for selling zombie-style knives shortly before they were banned but they said they followed UK legislation at the time including proper age verification checks. They argued that buyers had committed fraud by using false IDs to obtain the weapons.
DNA Leisure said: “We do not sell these as weapons. Our products are not advertised as weapons. Not only is it illegal but it is also immoral to advertise in that way.”
24 Hours in Police Custody Investigates: Zombie Knives – Channel 4, Tuesday 9pm
