Ghetts jailed for 12 years in fatal hit-and-run case

Old Bailey criminal court in London sentenced 41-year-old British rapper Ghetts, real name Justin Jude Clarke-Samuel, to 12 years in prison on Tuesday local time. He was found guilty of causing the death of Yubin Tamang, a 20-year-old Nepalese student, in a hit-and-run incident last year. Tamang’s mother, Sharmila Tamang, told the court through an interpreter that her son came to study in London but was killed due to someone else’s fault. The case has highlighted concerns about dangerous driving and accountability. Ghetts, who has around 334,000 followers on Instagram and has worked with famous artists including Ed Sheeran, reportedly drove dangerously back home after a night out, driving a BMW M5 under the influence, running a red light and driving on the wrong side of the road at approximately 112.7 km/h, causing fatal injuries to the victim. He then drove about 12 kilometres to his home without stopping to render aid. The defendant’s lawyer, Benjamin Aina, said his client felt followed by strangers after a past armed robbery, a trauma cited as a factor. Ghetts wrote a letter of apology to the victim’s family, admitting guilt and deep shame for his actions. Nevertheless, the judge imposed a sentence for driving far above the speed limit and deliberately leaving the scene.