Daneiko Ferguson murder: Pair who deny stabbing Leeds man to death to stand trial this summer

Alga Lutondo and Halgon Randon appeared at Leeds Crown Court this morning where they both formally entered not-guilty pleas to stabbing Mr Ferguson to death in Harehills earlier this year.

Both defendants are being held on remand at HMP Doncaster and appeared in court via video link from the prison. The trial has been set down for August 7, and is expected to last two weeks.

Mr Ferguson, 27, was found with stab wounds in Compton Road shortly after 3am on Wednesday, February 15. Despite medical treatment, he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Lutondo, age 31, of Poynton Road, Tottenham, London, was arrested a short time later, as was 41-year-old Randon, of Brown Hill Terrace, Harehills, who were both eventually charged with murder. Two other men, aged 28 and 35, who were arrested on suspicion of murder, and a 33-year-old woman, who was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, were bailed.

A senior investigating officer said the police had “followed a number of lines of inquiry” and that CCTV from the area had been combed through to identify individuals who were in the Harehills Lane and Compton Road area around the time of the killing.

In the wake of the murder, police were granted additional stop and search powers in order to keep communities safe and reassure local residents. Officers patrolling the area made three arrests for drug-related offences during the first evening that the extra powers were in place. A weapon and drugs were also recovered from local searches.