Mitcham killer who claimed he shot man by accident jailed

Tyrese Miller, 22, was shot in the chest at close range with a shotgun in April 2023.   

Denzel Kwateng, 22, who was found guilty of Tyrese’s manslaughter, had only been cleared of the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Denardo Samuels-Brooks a year earlier. 

At the trial into Tyrese’s death, Kwateng claimed that he had only pointed a gun at Tyrese as a prank when it went off without him pulling the trigger. 

A jury found him guilty of manslaughter rather than murder. 

Tyrese Miller was found injured in Croydon Road near the junction with Beddington Lane (Image: Met Police) The Met Police said Tyrese’s killing was an act of revenge as one of Kwateng’s friends was stabbed in Croydon just a few hours before. 

At the trial prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC said after the stabbing in Croydon Kwateng drove after Tyrese Miller. 

“When they caught up with him, they shot and killed him. He was shot in the chest with a shotgun from close range,” he said. 

Mr Emlyn Jones said it was clear that Mr Miller had not been involved in the stabbing and had been enjoying a night out in a pub with friends at the time. 

On Friday (September 6) Kwateng, from New Addington, was jailed for life with a minimum of 16 years.  

Cheick Cisse, 29, of Thornton Heath and Mario Serban, 18, of Eltham, were found guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life after police arrested them in possession of the shotgun used in the shooting. 

Cisse was jailed for seven years while Serban was given an 18-month youth rehabilitation order. 

Left to right: Kwateng, Serban and Cisse (Image: Met Police) Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley led the investigation and said: “This investigation has painstakingly gathered evidence to put the defendants before the court. 

“My team has carefully pieced together their various movement, using CCTV and other footage along with forensic material and data obtained from mobile devices to cross-check how events unfolded that evening. 

“I have spoken with Tyrese’s family and, although the trial has not provided them with the complete picture that they had wished for, I have expressed my sincere hope that they can obtain some degree of comfort from the sentences handed down today.”