One of the men accused of murdering a fellow drug dealer in Ilford told the court that he saw the victim as a family friend.

Three men are jointly charged with murdering Abdi Sheikhey, 19, who was shot five times in Woodlands Road, Ilford on March 21 this year.

At the Old Bailey today, Suleman Mohamed, 20, of Kingston Road, Ilford, denied that he was involved in the fatal shooting.

He added: “He [Abdi] used to live at the top of my road for a few years and he was good friends with my brother.

“He had stayed over at my house and I had driven him home before.”

Mr Mohamed, who told the court that he earned up to £1000 a week dealing drugs, said he couldn’t think of a reason why Abdi had been attacked.

Previously the jury had watched a CCTV video of Abdi threatening co-defendant Sami Omar with a knife in Chester Chicken Shop, Ilford Lane, on March 20, just one day before he was fatally shot.

Mr Mohamed told the court that him - and his co-defendants - did not respond to the incident, especially as “no one had got hurt.”

Last Friday, Mr Omar, 21, of Kingston Road, Ilford, had said that he thought Abdi had been targeting a friend in the takeaway, and had felt “relaxed” about the incident.

Earlier in the trial today, Jordi Kibusi, 20, of Wisteria Close, Ilford, who is also accused of murder, had echoed this sentiment.

He said: “We talked about the incident after finding Sami but not for long.

“People carry knives, it’s normal. It’s not a good thing but I’m used to it.

“It’s a common thing in our area, 12 and 13-year-olds carrying knives.”

Under cross examination, prosecution lawyer Anthony Orchard QC pressed the duo about their movements after the shooting.

Whilst giving evidence, Mr Mohamed, Mr Kibusi and Mr Omar have all said they witnessed the shooting whilst driving down Woodlands Road on their way to Gants Hill.

Mr Orchard questioned the accounts, adding that it seemed an “unfortunate coincidence to be in the area at the time that one of the attackers from the night before was being shot at.”

All three deny the charges and the trial continues.