Overview
- At the Old Bailey, Jala Debella received a Section 37 hospital order with a Section 41 restriction after a facts-only jury found he carried out the killing, with a future trial possible if he becomes fit to plead.
- Debella stabbed 66-year-old medical secretary Anita Mukhey up to 18 times at a bus stop on Burnt Oak Broadway on May 9, 2024, before walking away as bystanders tried to help.
- Prosecutors said he bought a hunting knife online that was delivered to his Colindale rehabilitation home about an hour before the attack, checked Royal Mail tracking repeatedly, and was tied to the weapon and scene by CCTV and DNA.
- Jurors heard he had a particular interest in violent ‘gore’ videos and searched for “killing video” shortly after signing for the package and before leaving the home.
- A consultant confirmed a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia and prior Mental Health Act detentions, with continued admission arranged at Ashworth High Secure Hospital, as the family raised concerns about risk assessments and the CQC noted the service fell outside its regulatory scope; an inquest has been opened and adjourned.