By Elliott West
Nembhard family statement
“Almost a year on, our family are in disbelief and continued sadness that Takayo’s passing goes unpunished. We will never get over him but justice being served will help us to move on.”
The dust may just be settled on this year’s successful Notting Hill Carnival but there remains a lingering storm cloud hanging over the event. Last year during the carnival, tragedy struck when 21-year-old Takayo Nembhard was stabbed at around 8 pm on August 29 2022 in Ladbroke Grove, under the Westway flyover. Takayo later died in hospital, a later post-mortem showed that he died from a stab wound to the right groin femoral artery. The father-to-be was in an area of West London where a few hundred people were present and is there must have been witnesses to the murder. A death that left a grieving family and a son, born in November, who will never know his father.
A talented rapper and singer from Bristol, Takayo had come down to London with his friends and sister, simply to enjoy the carnival atmosphere. An innocent, young man who walked into a situation that was fuelled by mindless crime of the most heinous degree. Taking another’s life is abhorrent and in this particular case, is so tragic because no one to date has been charged with his murder despite five people being arrested. but released while the investigation continues. It led to there having to be issued a £20,000 for vital witness evidence that would lead to a conviction through the independently run charity, Crimestoppers.
The Vital Clues
Having lived in Shepherd’s Bush for a number of years, I know how scary it was to walk under the Westway flyover. The dark nights with a poorly lit subway were enough to put me walking down there, even in daylight hours. Then it was just skateboarders and graffiti but sadly now theft and knife crime have significantly increased with 282 people losing their lives to fatal stabbings in London during the 2021/22 period. Sadly Takayo is one of these people and highlights a worrying trend of American style gang violence as feuds between gangs lead to innocent deaths.
Any public event in London is at risk and when the Notting Hill Carnival gathers each year, there will always be a small element who wish to wreck the fun of the event. That’s why it is so important to find the killer/killers in Takayo’s case. CCTV footage hasn’t managed to do this to date and the vital witness hasn’t come forward. This leaves a family in an unimaginable state of limbo, not able to gain justice for their loved one. That’s why it’s so vital that this killer is caught, tried and put in prison. Takayo may not have been their first victim and if so, certainly won’t be their last. So if you have any information, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. It is anonymous, freephone number. The reward is valid between August 23 and November 23 2023 for information they exclusively receive and pass on that leads to conviction.
