A 19-year-old Nigerian, Oluwatobiloba Akinrinola, has been sentenced to seven years in prison in the United Kingdom for his role in a violent robbery and blackmail operation that saw party guests threatened, assaulted and humiliated.
Akinrinola, of Slippers Place, London, was sentenced alongside Richile Vangu, 20, who received an 11-year prison term after both were convicted at Leicester Crown Court.
The court heard that the pair took part in a planned robbery at a party in North Kilworth, Leicestershire, on November 21, 2025.
During the attack, at least eight guests were reportedly forced into a bedroom where they were threatened with a large “zombie-style knife” while their designer clothing and an iPhone were stolen.
Prosecutors said Vangu, who organised the robbery, demanded that each victim transfer £1,000, threatening to stab anyone who refused to pay.
The victims were also forced to perform a TikTok dance multiple times while their student identity cards were photographed to identify where they lived.
Judge Steven Evans said Vangu planned the operation and recruited several people, including Akinrinola, to carry it out.
“Although Akinrinola was subservient to Vangu, he played an essential part in the offences,” the judge said.
The court heard that the abuse continued later that day after some victims who failed to send the money were ordered to student accommodation in Bath Lane.
There, Akinrinola forced some of the victims to perform physical exercises, including star jumps and high knees, before repeatedly punching them.
Vangu also whipped several victims with a belt, shot them in the head with a BB gun, waxed their faces and threatened to cut off their dreadlocks if they failed to pay.
Judge Evans described the ordeal as one in which the victims were “tortured” and “humiliated.”
The court also heard that Vangu later uploaded videos of the incidents to TikTok.
Vangu was convicted of four counts of robbery, 10 counts of blackmail and one count of actual bodily harm, having earlier pleaded guilty to another count of actual bodily harm. In addition to his 11-year sentence, he was handed a three-year extended licence period.
Akinrinola was convicted of nine counts of blackmail, four counts of robbery and two counts of actual bodily harm, but was acquitted on one count of blackmail.
Two other defendants, Benjamin Osadolor and Ayomide Ibraheem, were found not guilty on all charges.
Source: Leicester Crown Court.
