Drill star Unknown T, 20, who performed with Drake at O2 and secured Universal contract is cleared of stabbing engineering student at New Year’s Eve Party
- Unknown T, whose real name is Daniel Lena has been cleared of charges
- Steven Narvaez-Jara was stabbed in the chest at a party in north London
- Mr Lena had been in attendance and said he was ‘shocked at the violence’
A drill rap star who performed with Drake at the O2 and went on to secure a contract with Universal has been cleared of stabbing an engineering student at a New Year’s Eve party in north London.
Unknown T, whose real name is Daniel Lena, had his career put on hold in July 2019 when he was charged with the murder of Steven Narvaez-Jara, 20.
In January Mr Lena, 20, went on trial at the Old Bailey along with Ramani Boreland and Mohammed Musse, both aged 21.
Mr Narvaez-Jara was stabbed in the chest at a party that Mr Lena had been attending.
Unknown T, whose real name is Daniel Lena is pictured above outside the Old Bailey in London
He denied being one of the attackers who had been described as being a young man in a white sweater and glasses.
Mr Lena, who previously performed at Wireless festival, said he was ‘shocked and traumatised’ by the violence, but insisted that jumpers were not his style.
The rapper, who has millions of online fans, had been unable to produce the items he had worn to the party in Old Street, north London, as he claimed he was sent so many clothes because of his status.
A jury deliberated for more than 18 hours to find Mr Lena not guilty of murder and violent disorder.
Steven Narvaez-Jara (pictured above) was stabbed in the chest at a party in north London
His co-accused Boreland was found guilty of manslaughter by a majority of 10 to two and violent disorder.
Musse was convicted of violent disorder.
The case was centred on events at a New Year’s Eve party in Old Street, north London, hosted by 19-year-old Kinga Pawlowska who had employed two bouncers.
When Musse started to ‘grab girls’ at the party and ‘annoy people’, the mood became sour. The situation escalated when he slapped one girl’s bottom, which led to her boyfriend punching him in the face.
Guests at the party then started to fight. Some grabbed kitchen knives, while others took planks of wood – one had even managed to smuggle in a machete.
Mr Narvaez-Jara – a student of piloting and engineering at the University of Hertfordshire – was stabbed in the chest and died at the scene at around 3.30am.
The court heard that while Musse may have started the fight, he had either left or been dragged from the kitchen by the time the fatal blow was struck.
It was alleged Boreland, who was friends with Musse, ‘took his side’.
All three defendants lived close to one another in Hackney and had planned to go to the party together, the court heard.
Another man, 18-year-old Israel Ogunsola, was also accused of involvement in the killing but died before the case came to trial.
There were gasps from the public gallery as the verdicts were delivered and Mr Lena gazed up in the dock as he was cleared on all the charges against him.