22-year-old receives life sentence for plasterer’s murder

A court has sentenced a 22-year-old man to life imprisonment for the murder of an individual who declined his handshake. Kozma Papa, hailing from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, had previously confessed to the murder of plasterer Bledi Petraj, whom he fatally stabbed 13 times in Southgate, north London, on February 4. During the sentencing at the Old Bailey on Friday, Judge Mark Lucraft KC characterized the incident as a “violent confrontation” that occurred following Mr. Petraj, 37, from Essex, having snubbed Papa. Papa received an order to serve a minimum term of 20 years and was additionally given a nine-month concurrent sentence for the offense of possessing a bladed weapon. The court heard during the trial that the two men had prior acquaintance and had engaged in a scuffle at a café around 13:15 GMT. Approximately 45 minutes subsequent to this, they proceeded to Queen Elizabeth’s Drive, both armed with large knives. Prosecution barrister Julian Evans KC informed the court that “Each man (aimed) blows at the other,” before Mr. Petraj dropped his knife, which Papa then retrieved. The barrister stated that Papa then moved forward “with a knife in each hand” towards Mr. Petraj, who had fallen onto his back, and proceeded to stab him multiple times. Mr. Petraj succumbed to his injuries in the hospital later that afternoon. In a victim impact statement, Mr. Petraj’s sister expressed: “I wake up in the morning, trying to convince myself it was just a nightmare.” She added, “We can’t celebrate anymore.” and “Every family birthday is filled with tears because Bledi is missing.” His parents further stated that Mr. Petraj was “in the wrong place at the wrong time, facing a monster with a knife in hand, striking mercilessly”. In his defense statement, Papa acknowledged some prior engagement in drug dealing. His barrister, Tyrone Smith KC, contended that a “background of animosity” existed between the two individuals, but Papa had made “attempts… to extricate himself” from the encounter. Speaking to Papa, Judge Lucraft KC stated his acceptance that the defendant had demonstrated remorse, adding: “Those who know you are shocked that you have been involved in such grave violence.” The court was informed that Papa is an Albanian national who entered the United Kingdom unlawfully in September 2022. The Home Office has since revoked his asylum application.