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| Bus Strangler: Eric Mjola |
A London bus passenger, who tried to murder the man sitting in front of him by strangling the victim with his scarf in an unprovoked attack, was jailed for eight years today.
South-Afrian Eric Mjola, 33, wrapped his scarf around the throat of Tesco's security guard Reynolds Quadjovie, 39, who was heard choking by another passenger and passed out.
Former hotel worker Mjola, West Brompton was convicted after just over an hour's deliberation by an Isleworth Crown Court jury of attempting to murder Mr. Quadjovie as they travelled on a single decker C1 bus through Earl's Court on December 1, 2012.
"The was for Mr. Quadjovie an extremely frightening experience that so far has not left him. He believed you were trying to kill him," The Recorder of Kensington and Chelsea Judge Richard McGregor-Johnson told the defendant.
Gay Mjola, who moved to London because he felt his lifestyle was more acceptable in the UK, claimed his powerful HIV medication, coupled with drinking vodka the night before, resulted in him believing Mr. Quadjovie was having a fit.
"He was going to and fro, front and back in the seat and I took out the scarf to restrain him, to stop him from hurting himself," he claimed from the witness box.
Judge McGregor-Johnson added: "This was not pre-planned, it was a spontaneous incident. Why it happened I don't know.
"The reports show you do suffer from deficiencies in thinking. but they don't explain or excuse your actions.
"I have to take into account the effect on Mr. Quadjovie and others who witnessed this, including a sixteen year-old boy on public transport."
Mjola was told he would be liable for deportation at the end of his sentence.
He was on his way to a gym in Hammersmith when security guard Mr. Quadjovie, who was starting his first day at Tesco's, sat in front of him on the bus.
Mr. Quadjovie had just asked another passenger if they were near Tesco's when Mjola said to him: "Are you crazy?" and the victim replied: "What do you mean, I'm crazy?" and turned back around.
The jury were shown CCTV footage of the defendant then placing his scarf around Mr. Quadjovie's neck and the pair struggling at the rear of the bus.
"He was killing me, there's no doubt about that," Mr. Quadjovie told the court. "He meant it and he meant what he was doing.
"He was in complete control of the bus, people were lying down afraid of their lives. You can see on the image how I was struggling, how he was killing me.
"At that time I was completely in his hands."
In his statement to police Mr. Quadjovie said the defendant told him: "I want to kill you," while strangling him. "He said this several times."
The CCTV footage showed the teenage passenger willing to intervene, but repeatedly being held back by his mother and another young man reportedly shouts: "You can't do that, you're killing him."
At one point Mr. Quadjovie slumps against the window to his left, but seconds later is seen on the CCTV running down the bus's aisle towards the driver.
"I was lucky enough and God was on my side," he told the court. "I made the scarf a bit longer and was able to get it over my head."
Another passenger told the jury Mjola chased Mr. Quadjovie down the aisle repeatedly shouting: "I'm going to kill you," confirming she heard choking behind her moments before.
The victim says a finger on his right hand is permanently damaged as a result of trying to loosen the scarf around his neck.
"I'm handicapped in that finger. I'm suffering emotionally and physically. I'm traumatised.
"I have suffered a loss of income from having to spend months at home, I still have debts and was not able to pay my rent.
"He has completely taken my life in a bad way."
Mjola told the jury: "His movements were not something I was used to, looking sideways and back at me so I asked him: 'Are you crazy?'
"There was some groaning and I thought he was not well and that he was going to faint. He had groaned earlier and started again as if he was choking.
"He was going to and fro, front and back in the seat and I took out the scarf to restrain him, to stop him from hurting himself.
"My aim was to put it around his chest, but it slipped up around his neck and at at that moment I let go and he slumped and I thought: 'Oh my God. He's having a fit.'
"If I did not help him further he would have fallen off his seat and I used the scarf to lift his head so he did not fall and bang it on the floor.
"It went around his neck again and that's when I decided to sit him on his chair.
"Someone shouted: 'You might kill him,' but I said: 'I'm not killing him. I won't kill him, I'm trying to help him'."
However, the defendant claims his strong accent was misheard and he was repeatedly saying: "I won't kill you."
He told the jury: "I was shocked that someone had said I was going to kill him, I wanted to restrain him."
After Mr. Quadiovie fled the bus Mjola remained on the back seat and now admits he misunderstood the security guard's behaviour.
"Maybe because I was on medication and had drunk alcohol the night before I misinterpreted the whole situation.
"He doesn't know I thought he was having a fit and for him it must have been very traumatic and distressing and I can only apologise to him."
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