London man gets life sentence for stabbing friend to death over debt

A court in London has sentenced a 36-year-old man to life imprisonment for murdering his friend during a dispute over money, rejecting his claim that he acted in self-defence.

Fawaz Abdulkareem was convicted of fatally stabbing 32-year-old Daniel Manuel at a flat in the Bondway area of Vauxhall, south London. The verdict was returned by jurors at Croydon Crown Court on May 21, 2026.

On June 5, Abdulkareem was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years before he can be considered for parole.

According to police, the attack followed an argument over money that Abdulkareem allegedly owed to the victim. Both men had spent the evening at a nightclub before returning to the flat, where the disagreement turned violent.

Officers were called to the scene at about 5:38 a.m. and found Manuel suffering from three stab wounds in the building’s lobby. He was pronounced dead at the scene despite emergency efforts.

Abdulkareem was arrested at the location and charged the following day. Investigators said he attempted to dispose of the knife by throwing it from a 14th-floor window.

The detective leading the case said the victim was killed by someone he considered a friend, and that evidence showed Manuel was likely attacked while his back was turned.

The victim’s wife described the loss as shattering, saying her husband was her emotional safety and the person she built her life around.