Nigerian jailed for life in UK for killing church member

A Nigerian man, Shohfah-El Israel, whose birth name is Ajibola Shogbamimu, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a midwifery student in the United Kingdom.

Israel was convicted on Monday by a jury at Reading Crown Court on a single count of murder of Joy Morgan.

The convict had spent time alone with Ms Morgan against strict church rules in December.

The 20-year-old’s body has not been recovered despite extensive police searches of hundreds of acres of land in Hertfordshire.

Sentencing the married father to life imprisonment with a minimum of 17 years, Judge Michael Soole said: “Only you know the circumstances of your terrible deed and why you did it.”

Israel lied to the police when he was arrested, saying he had dropped Morgan off at her student accommodation in Hatfield after a dinner at the American-founded Israel United in Christ Church they attended on December 26.

The Nigerian later admitted he had spent two nights alone with the University of Hertfordshire student, saying he lied because of the church’s strict rules.

The prosecution said the keys to Morgan’s accommodation were discovered in the footwell of Israel’s car after his arrest in February.

Speaking outside court, Morgan’s mother Carol pleaded with Israel to reveal the location of the body.

“Give me my baby back, he knows where she is. If he loved her give her back up to us so I can bury my daughter. If I get to see her before I die I’ll be very grateful,” she said.

The Nigerian denied having sex with the deceased, claiming he saw her as a daughter.

Israel has lived in the UK for 22 years.