Two men have been convicted following the fatal shooting of Grineo Daka at an East London snooker club.

Jeton Krasniqi, aged 27, of Kershaw Road, Barking and Dagenham, was found guilty of murdering the 27-year-old victim at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, May 25.

Edison Brahimi, 30, of Camden Road, Islington, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice.

Grineo, from Stratford, was shot in the back in the early hours of July 7, 2019, at the Phoenix Snooker Club on Lea Bridge Road and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post-mortem examination held at Walthamstow Mortuary gave the cause of death as a single gunshot wound.

The day before he was killed, Grineo had been at the venue with some friends and became involved in an altercation with another group, one of whom had been struck with a bottle.

The next evening he arrived at the club with others – after receiving a phone call – and made his way to the upstairs bar.

The police cordon in Lea Bridge Road at the time of the killing (@999London)

Krasniqi and Brahimi were already there, as well as two other men.

At approximately 3am a fight broke out and pool balls were thrown.

Four shots were also fired from a gun that had been smuggled into the venue.

Grineo was fatally injured and died just 30 minutes after his arrival. One of his friends was also shot in the foot, and two other bullets were found inside the club.

In the ensuing melee, the other customers, who were fleeing in fear of their lives, ran past Grineo as he lay dying close to the stairs.

Krasniqi, who was wearing gloves despite it being July, was captured on CCTV footage accessing a balcony area before throwing an item towards neighbouring gardens.

A converted firearm was later recovered by a police officer two doors away.

Jeton Krasniqi (Met Police)
Jeton Krasniqi (Met Police)

A bullet was jammed in the chamber and a second bullet remained in the magazine - forensic examination confirmed this to be the gun used in the murder.

Four men then stepped over Grineo before walking to a car parked nearby and driving away.

Detectives carried out an extensive examination of CCTV footage along with mobile phone analysis and were able to identify individuals at the scene.

But despite searching addresses linked with the men over a period of time, it was believed they had gone to ground.

However, the case had a breakthrough on December 6, 2019, when Brahimi was arrested after being traced to an address in Westminster.

He was charged with murder the next day but after consultation with the CPS, the charge was later amended to perverting the course of justice.

Edison Brahimi (Met Police)
Edison Brahimi (Met Police)

A manhunt was launched to trace Krasniqi and he was arrested in Dagenham on May 25, 2020, and charged the following day with murder, possession of a firearm, and wounding with intent to cause GBH in relation to another man.

Both were found guilty of their charges.

A third man, who was present in the club, was charged in July 2019. He died while awaiting trial.

A fourth man remains at large and enquiries to find him are ongoing.

Krasniqi and Brahimi will be sentenced at the same court on June 25.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Wrigley, of the Metropolitan Police's Specialist Crime Command, said: “Grineo Daka was lured to the snooker club that night, before his life was taken in an act of reckless violence; today, we have seen the man responsible convicted of his murder.

“Krasniqi went to the club 24 hours after an argument in order to seek revenge, ensuring that one of his friends brought a firearm with him. The club had about 50 people in it that night, and it is only by pure luck that more people weren’t injured or killed. The two additional discharged bullets that were recovered by our forensics team could quite easily have struck other people.

“Krasniqi’s intent that night is quite obvious. He was wearing gloves on a summer’s night; clearly, he was hoping to prevent his fingerprints from being found on the murder weapon. However, unbeknown to him, his movements after the murder were captured on CCTV.

“The Met is committed to tackling serious violence, and I would urge anyone who has information relating to firearms possession to make contact with police, or anonymously via Crimestoppers.”

Samantha Yelland, from the CPS, said: “This was a senseless and brazen murder in the middle of a snooker hall filled with more than 50 people. Gun violence in the capital has devasted yet another family.

“Jeton Krasniqi fired at his victim who was unarmed and died at the scene. Edison Brahimi who was with Krasniqi at the time made sure their tracks were covered by driving them away from the club.

“The prosecution case included CCTV footage showing Krasniqi throwing the gun used in the murder over a balcony before fleeing.

"Police were able to recover this gun intact just two gardens away. A search of the club also led to the discovery of a bottle of Corona beer with Brahimi’s fingerprints on it – making it clear that he had been there.

“Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Mr Daka at this time.”