LONDON — A 37-year-old man who committed a brutal act of violence, resulting in the tragic death of a schoolboy and the injury of five others, has been sentenced to life in prison. The horrific incident unfolded when Marcus Arduini Monzo embarked on a violent spree armed with a samurai sword, leaving shattered lives in his wake.
Justice was served at the Central Criminal Court on Friday, where Monzo’s actions were under heavy scrutiny. The most devastating impact was felt by the family of Daniel Anjorin, a promising 14-year-old whose life was abruptly ended that fateful morning as he made his way to school. The boy’s father, Dr. Ebenezer Anjorin, addressed the court, expressing the profound grief and anguish of losing a child so brutally.
“This has been the darkest nightmare of our lives,” Dr. Anjorin lamented during the sentencing. “Enduring the unfathomable pain of losing a child in such an inhuman and savage manner is something no family should ever have to endure.”
The harrowing series of events commenced on the streets of East London, as described by Justice Joel Bennathan. Everyday life was shattered when Monzo, in a fit of delusion, drove his van until it struck a pedestrian, setting off a 20-minute reign of terror. Armed officers eventually subdued him with a stun gun before further carnage could ensue.
The chaos Monzo wrought on that morning received a chilling recount from Justice Bennathan. “The serene, bustling neighborhood was turned into a scene of chaos as civilians were assaulted, police officers sustained grave injuries, residents were traumatized in their sanctuaries, and a bright, beloved young boy lost his life to a barbaric sword strike.”
The prosecution argued that Monzo’s actions were triggered by drug-induced psychosis rather than a chronic mental illness. Under the influence of substances, Monzo succumbed to bizarre and destructive hallucinations, which began with the demise of his own pet cat—an act prompted by imaginary voices warning him of the cat’s harboring of his energy.
Intent on destruction, Monzo first targeted security guard Donato Iwule, whom he rammed with his vehicle and attacked with the lethal sword. Although Iwule managed to escape, Monzo’s rampage continued with the ambush of young Daniel Anjorin, unnoticed due to his headphones.
Witness Aiste Dabasinskaite recalled the moment, saying, “We screamed and gestured, trying to alert Daniel as he walked out. It all happened right before us, unimaginable and dreadful.”
Sadly, Monzo’s vicious attack nearly took off the teenager’s head with the 2-foot sword, and he continued to inflict harm even when the boy was helpless on the ground.
As officers arrived on the scene intent on providing aid, Monzo took advantage, lunging from hiding and inflicting life-changing injuries, including a fractured skull and severe nerve damage, on Constable Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield.
Seeking cover in a nearby home, Monzo awakened a family, leading to further chaos. Declaring himself a believer in God, he launched a violent assault on the father as they attempted to defend themselves and their young daughter from his wrath.
Monzo’s violent saga ended when police Inspector Moloy Campbell confronted him, suffering a strike from the sword before Monzo was eventually disarmed and taken into custody.
Following the trial, the jury found Monzo fully accountable for his deeds—owing to substance use rather than mental illness. Evidence presented in court detailed his use of ayahuasca and cannabis while exploring extreme beliefs and subscribing to conspiracy theories.
Through his trial, Monzo, who holds both Spanish and Brazilian citizenship, spoke of injuries from mixed martial arts as a catalyst for his drastic spiritual endeavors and admitted to unusual beliefs, including flat Earth theories and conspiracies surrounding the 9/11 attacks. He also confessed to bizarre practices such as drinking his own urine, adding another layer of peculiarity to the proceedings.