A 22-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering a man who refused his handshake, a court heard.
Kozma Papa, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, admitted to stabbing plasterer Bledi Petraj 13 times in Southgate, north London, on February 4.
At the Old Bailey on Friday, Judge Mark Lucraft KC described the attack as a “violent confrontation” that followed Mr. Petraj, 37, from Essex, rejecting Papa’s handshake.
Papa was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison and received an additional nine-month concurrent sentence for possessing a bladed weapon.
During the trial, the court learned the two men were previously acquainted and had a scuffle at a café around 1:15 PM. Approximately 45 minutes later, they encountered each other again on Queen Elizabeth’s Drive, both armed with large knives.
Prosecutor Julian Evans KC told the court that after both exchanged blows, Mr. Petraj lost control of his knife. Papa then picked it up and advanced “with a knife in each hand” toward Mr. Petraj, who had fallen. He repeatedly stabbed the victim, resulting in fatal injuries. Mr. Petraj succumbed to his wounds in the hospital later that day.
Birthdays Marked by Tears
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In a victim impact statement, Mr. Petraj’s sister shared:
“I wake up each morning trying to convince myself it was just a nightmare.
“We can’t celebrate anymore. Every family birthday is filled with tears because Bledi is missing.”
His parents described their son as “in the wrong place at the wrong time, facing a monster with a knife in hand, striking mercilessly.”
Defence and Sentencing
Papa admitted to some involvement in drug dealing. His barrister, Tyrone Smith KC, argued there was a “background of animosity” between the two men, claiming Papa had tried to “extricate himself” from the situation.
Judge Lucraft KC acknowledged Papa’s remorse, stating, “Those who know you are shocked that you have been involved in such grave violence.”
The court also heard that Papa, an Albanian national, entered the UK illegally in September 2022. The Home Office has since withdrawn his asylum application.
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