US court sentences American man to 40 years for brutal murder and beheading of his boss, Gokada founder | #NwokeukwuMascot

 News 

US Court Sentences American Man to 40 Years for Beheading Gokada Founder | #NwokeukwuMascot

File Image

A US court has sentenced 25-year-old Tyrese Haspil to 40 years to life in prison for the brutal murder of Fahim Saleh, the founder and CEO of Nigerian transportation company Gokada. Saleh, who was 33 years old, was killed in his New York City apartment in 2020.

Haspil, who worked as Saleh’s executive assistant, was convicted of first-degree murder, second-degree grand larceny, and other charges after a New York State Supreme Court jury found him guilty two months ago. He was found to have embezzled funds from Saleh and killed him in an attempt to cover up the theft.

According to reports, Haspil had been stealing from Saleh's accounts, siphoning off money to fund a lavish lifestyle. Despite discovering the embezzlement, Saleh had given Haspil a second chance, only for his trust to be tragically betrayed.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Jr., in a statement on Tuesday, expressed hope that the sentencing would offer some solace to Saleh’s grieving family.

Today, Tyrese Haspil is facing accountability for brutally murdering and decapitating Fahim Saleh, a kind, generous, and empathetic person who positively impacted the world. While today’s sentence won’t bring Mr. Saleh back, I hope it provides his family a sense of closure as they continue to mourn his painful loss," Bragg said.

Photo: Co-founder/CEO of Gokada, Fahim Saleh, explains his company’s operation during an interview with Reuters in Lagos.

Prosecutors presented surveillance footage showing Haspil following Saleh into his Lower Manhattan apartment building on July 13, 2020. As the pair exited the elevator, which opened directly into Saleh's apartment, Haspil tasered Saleh and stabbed him multiple times in the neck and torso, killing him. The following day, Haspil returned to the scene to dismember and decapitate Saleh's body, placing the remains in construction bags he had previously ordered.

Saleh's cousin discovered the crime after visiting his apartment when she hadn't heard from him for 24 hours. She immediately contacted the authorities.

Haspil fled the apartment when he saw police in the building, but he was arrested four days later at an Airbnb he had rented to celebrate his girlfriend's birthday.

Investigations revealed that Haspil had been embezzling from Saleh since 2018, setting up fake PayPal and corporate bank accounts to siphon off funds. Prosecutors noted that Haspil resigned in May 2019, knowing Saleh would soon discover the fraud. Yet, he continued to steal from him, with the total amount reaching $400,000.

In their statement, prosecutors also revealed that Haspil had plotted to kill Saleh at least three times before finally carrying out the murder, in an attempt to hide his ongoing theft and prevent Saleh from testifying against him.

Photo: Surveillance footage of convicted killer Tyrese Haspil, who killed and decapitated his mentor, tech CEO Fahim Saleh, after embezzling nearly $400,000.

Following Saleh's death, Gokada, the company he founded, released a statement praising his commitment to Nigeria and its youth.

"He believed young Nigerians are extremely bright and talented individuals who would flourish if just given the right opportunity. Fahim also believed that technology can transform lives and improve safety and efficiency. He built Gokada to act upon these beliefs," the statement read.

Gokada, which began as a ride-hailing service in 2017, has since expanded into logistics and food delivery. Saleh’s death remains a devastating loss for the entrepreneurial community both in Nigeria and abroad.