Daneiko Ferguson trial: Jury fails to reach verdict for second suspect over brutal murder of man in Leeds

The jury at Leeds Crown Court was discharged of its duties today (Monday) after being unable to come to a majority verdict on whether Halgon Randon was guilty of murdering Daneiko Ferguson.

After a month-long trial that included 26 hours of deliberations from the jury, the trial was brought to a close. The prosecution said that they would seek a retrial for Randon and a prospective date for it was set for June 5 next year.

The conclusion comes after the jury found Alga Lutondo guilty of Mr Ferguson’s murder last week.

The pair were also charged with conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm (GBH), along with a third defendant, Maria Thomas. The jury found Lutondo and Randon guilty by majority but could not reach a verdict for Thomas.

A judge will decide a minimum number of years Lutondo must serve behind bars at a sentencing hearing yet to be fixed.

During the trial it was heard that Mr Ferguson, 27, had “taxed” drug dealer Maria Thomas’s house on Cowper Terrace in the early hours of February 15 – kicking his way into her property demanding she hand over her drugs.

After he left, Thomas called Lutondo, for whom she worked, to tell him about Ferguson’s attack. He then recruited Randon “as muscle” and they both set off on push bikes searching for Ferguson.

When they found him on Compton Street in Harehills, he was stabbed five times before the two rode off, leaving him to die at the side of the road. He was found by a passing taxi driver and was taken to hospital, but died a short time later.

Lutondo later tried to leave the country, but was stopped from boarding a flight at Heathrow which was bound for Africa.

Lutondo, age 32, formerly of Berkeley Crescent, Harehills and 42-year-old Randon, of Brown Hill Terrace, Harehills, were later charged with murder. They were also charged with the conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm (GBH), along with 34-year-old Maria Thomas, who now lives in Horsforth.

During the trial both Lutondo and Randon accepted being there on Compton Street, but sought to blame each other for fatally stabbing Mr Ferguson.