Son and mother jailed for role in killing man then setting fire to his body to avoid drugs debt

A mother and son have been jailed for killing a man and setting fire to his body in order to get out of paying a drugs debt.

Raphael Kokkinos, 35, of Polworth Road, Streatham, was sentenced yesterday at the Old Bailey to nine years’ imprisonment for the manslaughter of Jean Loeike Guei, known as Loeike, and four years’ imprisonment for perverting the course of justice, to run concurrently, after pleading guilty to both crimes.

Two other people, Aaron Williams, 30, of Warwick Gardens, Thornton Heath, and Kokkinos’ mother, Sophia Kokkinos, 71, of Chelsham Road, Clapham, were also found guilty of perverting the course of justice and each jailed for three years.

The court heard that Loeike, 23, was killed as a result of a dispute over drugs which had been stolen from Kokkinos’ home in August 2020.

Met Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley, who led the investigation, said: “Following the burglary, Kokkinos owed Loeike a significant amount of money, which he had no way to pay back.

“When Loeike arrived at Kokkinos’ address, he was attacked and killed. Kokkinos then persuaded and enrolled the help of his friend, Williams, and his mother, to assist in covering up the crime in the hope they wouldn’t be caught.”

Loeike’s body was discovered after a member of the public spotted a fire in bushes on the side of a road near Mitcham Common in the early hours of September 17, 2020.

A post-mortem found he had been assaulted and killed before his body was moved and then set on fire.

The Met established there had been frequent phone calls between Kokkinos and Loeike.

Kokkinos called him to say that he had some of the money he owed and agreed to post it through the door of an address given to him by Loeike.

But the money never arrived and CCTV footage showed that the following day, Loeike made his way to Kokkinos’ flat in Polworth Road where he parked his car and went into the property at around noon.

It is believed that Loeike was killed almost immediately by Kokkinos.

Williams arrived at the flat later that day and played a pivotal role in getting rid of Loeike’s car by taking it to a mechanic under the pretence of selling it. It remained there until officers tracked it down during their enquiries.

CCTV also showed a convoy of cars travelling to Mitcham Common in the early hours of September 17, 2020 which appeared to show a bulky and irregular shaped object in the boot – officers believe this was the body of Loeike.

The car used to transport the body was also sold on by Williams. The new owner said it was ‘exceptionally clean’ inside and smelt of chlorine.

Kokkinos’ flat had also been thoroughly cleaned and to the naked eye there were no signs of any struggle. 

But crime scene experts did discover two small bloodstains in the kitchen area, which were later proven to be a match to Loeike.

Pictured top: Mother and son, Raphael Kokkinos and Sophia Kokkinos (Picture: The Met)