Alleged gang went ‘looking for targets’ in Rochdale following murder of their leader, jury told

An alleged gang went ‘looking for targets’ in Rochdale following murder of their ‘leader’, a trial has heard.

Manchester Crown Court earlier heard that Alexander John Soyoye was killed on Bonfire Night 2020 in Moston by members of or those affiliated to the Release the Danger (RTD) gang.

Ten teenagers who were said to be members of rival gang, the Moston-based M40, of which John was said to have been their ‘leader’, are on trial facing allegations of conspiracy to commit murder.

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Prosecutors earlier said that they wanted to ‘avenge’ the death of John and a number of messages on social media, as well as lyrics written by some of the teenagers, suggested they were planning various attacks.

Gideon Kalumda, 20, Jeffrey Ojo, 20, Harry Oni, 18, Brooklyn Jitoboh, 18, Simon Thorne, 18, Martin Thomas Junior, 19, Ademola Adedeji, 18, Omolade Okoya, 19, Raymond Savi, 19 and Azim Okunula, 19, deny conspiracy to commit murder.

On day two of the trial, prosecutor Thomas Sandiford QC continued opening the case to the jury.

The court heard that on the night of December 26 2020 a stolen Ford was used to ‘go looking for a target’ in Rochdale.

Cell site evidence suggested that Mr Kalumda was in the car.

Throughout the evening the car was picked up via cell site evidence in Prestwich, Stockport and then Sale.

The prosecutor suggested that Mr Kalumda was picking up Mr Thomas, who lived in Wythenshawe in order to collect him and take him to Rochdale.

In CCTV footage played to the court, a Ford parked outside Freehold flats, before three men got out and made their way to the entrance where three other men were stood.

“There were three other males