Woman saw best friend gunned down, Old Bailey told

A woman has described in court the moment her best friend was shot dead as they chatted outside a wake.

Michelle Sadio, 44, was gunned down outside the River of Life Pentecostal Church near Church Road in Willesden, north-west London, in December 2024.

Valerie Asamoah told the Old Bailey she saw sparks coming from a car and heard a noise "like fireworks" before turning to see her friend slumped on the ground. They had been attending a "one week" wake for a woman who had died nine days earlier.

Perry Allen-Thomas, 27, Shaquille Sutherland, 26, Amir Salem, 19, and Tahjin Sommersall, 19, are on trial charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder, which they all deny.

Sadio, a legal administrator and mother of two, died at the scene and two other people were injured.

Kenneth Amoah, 39, suffered a gunshot wound to the back that left him paralysed below the waist, and Kadeem Francis, 32, was shot in the foot.

Asamoah wept as she gave evidence from behind a screen and described the event held in memory of 80-year-old Dianne Boatong as a "very chilled" celebration of life with about 100 people aged between six months and 80 years.

There had been music and praying inside the church before Asamoah and Sadio went outside and shared a can of Coke, the court was told.

The witness told jurors: "I turned to the right and saw someone I hadn't seen yet. As I turned my body to say 'oh hi', I just heard some noises and thought 'what's that?' and turned back around.

"A car had come, a dark-coloured car, and the window was down and I just saw sparks coming out of the car.

"I was like 'what's that? what's that?'. I looked and everyone around me had run. I ran a bit and the car ended up driving up.

"I turned back and saw people on the floor and thought 'hold on a minute'. That's when I realised Michelle had been shot."

Asked about the gunshots by prosecution barrister Crispin Aylett KC, she said: "I just saw these sparks. That's all I saw.

"At the time I thought it was probably about six. It sounded like fireworks going pop pop pop pop pop.

"The car drove off to the left. I was in such a panic I don't think I saw it again."

She found her friend "slumped over the wheel" of a parked car after she noticed Amoah had been injured.

The court was told that in the aftermath, police and paramedics were called and did what they could for the victims.

Tahjin Sommersall, 19, of Feltham, west London, is alleged to have been in the Kia with two other men who fled the country after the incident and remain at large, jurors heard.

At least four shots were fired and it is not known who was pulling the trigger, the court was told.

The court heard the target may have been a rapper from Willesden, known by the street name "Toxic" or "Trapstar Toxic", who was among those gathered outside the church.

It is alleged the three young men accused of taking part in the drive-by shooting were put up to it by Shaquille Sutherland, 26, and Perry Allen-Thomas, 27, both of Wembley, north London, who were nowhere near the scene.

Amir Salem, 19, also from Wembley, allegedly bought petrol used to set fire to the Kia.

Sommersall further denies possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

The trial continues.

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