Man jailed after holding knife to victim’s neck during terrifying Letterkenny attack

A man who threatened a terrified victim that he would cut him while holding a knife to his neck in a Letterkenny apartment has been sent to prison.

Adeleke Adelani was jailed for five-and-a-half years over the incident that left a shaken Ravindranath Kolagotla having to flee Letterkenny.

Adelani forced his victim to transfer over €2,500 during an ordeal that lasted for an hour and nine minutes at Fortwell Apartments on July 11, 2022.

The case was outlined by Detective Garda Stephen McGonigle.

Detective Garda McGonigle told Ms Fiona Crawford BL, barrister for the State, that the victim outlined to gardai that a woman visited his apartment three times on the day in question asking for two men he had taken in as lodgers a couple of weeks earlier. 

On the first visit she was alone, another man was with her the second time while Adelani accompanied her on the third trip.

The court heard how Adelani pushed the terrified Mr Kolagotla back in the apartment and kept his hand on his neck, forcing him to sit on the sofa.

After around 10 seconds, Mr Kolagotla - who has a masters degree in cyber security and who began working in Letterkenny in 2022 - said he begged “please, please, of his attacker and Adelani warned him: “If any word is coming from your mouth I will punch you and slap you” 

Adelani attempted to break a Heineken bottle against a door before placing the bottle on a coffee table. 

Adelani took a pair of blue surgical gloves from his pocket and after the assailants ransacked his bedroom, a series of item including laptops and other electronic gadgets were put into a bin bag as Mr Kolagotla pleaded with them to cease.

Mr Kolagotla was told to sit on the sofa and ordered to hand over his phone and unlock it. When he refused to open a banking app, Adelani held a knife blade to his neck and held his neck with his other hand.

“Open it or I’ll cut you,” Adelani threatened. 

“I felt that he could do anything to me,” Mr Kolagotla recalled. As he was in a second floor apartment, the victim felt that no-one would hear him if he shouted.

A sum of €2,510 was transferred to a Revolut account and subsequently sent to other persons. At this point, Mr Kolagotla was told that he was a “good man”. 

Detectives gathered CCTV from various premises on Lower Main Street and Adelani was identified by detectives McGonigle and Michelle Kelly.

Detective Garda Stephen McGonigle. (North West Newspix)

Mr Kolagotla told the officers that he felt “in shock and scared” and feared that Adelani would stab him. 

After detectives executed a search warrant at Adelani’s home, a pair of runners were found which were easily identifiable as those worn by a person in CCTV footage harvested.

Adelani, who was quizzed four times by investigating members, was also found in possession of a pair of blue gloves which were worn at the scene of the incident.

In a victim impact statement, which was read to the court by Detective Garda McGonigle, Mr Kolagotla said he was in shock after the incident and “didn’t move a single step until the next morning”.

“I was even scared to go to the toilet in the same house,” the statement said. 

Mr Kolagotla said he was unable to focus on his career and felt that he had to leave Letterkenny as he was “mentally disturbed”.

“I lost money and peace of mind,” he said, adding that he would still be in fear if he wanted to visit Letterkenny. 

A search warrant was later executed at another location and the electronic devices were found. 

On a scheduled trial date back in May, Adelani pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary contrary to section 12 (1) (b) and (3) of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud) Offences Act, 2001.

He also pleaded guilty to a charge that he falsely imprisoned Mr Kolagotla, contrary to section 15 of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.

Adelani admitted the production of a kitchen knife, an article capable of inflicting serious injury, contrary to section 11 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990.

Charges of assault causing harm, theft of an Xbox games controller with controllers and chargers valued at €588.99 and the theft of €2,510 were marked as taken into consideration.

The court was told that Adelani is due for sentencing on money laundering and invoice redirect matters - with sums totally around €140,000 involved - in a Dublin court and also has another matter pending before the court in Donegal.

Mr Sean McGee BL, barrister for Adelani, instructed by solicitor Mr Rory O’Brien, said his client became “involved” for financial gain. He indicated to the Probation Service that this incident happened at a “chaotic” time in his life and said that he was involved in significant drug taking.

Mr McGee said that Adelani has been drug free for the last two years.

“He fully accepts that he acted recklessly and aggressively and was not thinking about the consequences of his actions,” Mr McGee said. “he has had a positive change in his lifestyle and is now fully aware of the implications of his offending.”

Mr McGee outlined a number of courses, through the Probation Service, which Adelani has completed. 

The Probation Service placed Adelani at a moderate risk of reoffending, noting his criminal history, his previous substance misuse, emotional regulation issues and negative peers.

Mr McGee said that Adelani, a native of Nigeria, has obtained a degree level 7 in legal studies and wants to proceed to honours level. 

Adelani has turned his life to fitness and sport now, his barrister added, pointing to jiu jitsu competitions which he has competed in at national levels, while he is now in a long-term relationship.

In a letter submitted to the court, Adelani said that he feels “ashamed and disgusted” at his actions. “You did not deserve that,” Adelani wrote. “I can only imagine how scared and helpless you felt.”

Mr McGee said that Adelani was offering €3,000 from a €5,000 bail bond lodged in court to the victim. When Judge Aylmer asked why the full amount was not being offered, it was indicated that the €5,000 could be given to Mr Kolagotla.

Judge Aylmer said that the burglary count was the most serious charge faced by Adelani. 

Given that the incident involved an “appallingly violent violation” of the victim’s dwelling house and that it left him traumatised to such an extent that he moved out of Donegal, the incident could placed in the upper end of the mid-range of such offending and merited a sentence of eight years imprisonment. The false imprisonment and production of an article charge merited a starting point of four years in prison.

Adelani would get credit for his albeit late guilty plea and the accused claims to be drug free for two years. Judge Aylmer noted that Adelani has expressed shame and remorse and outlined an earnest desire for rehabilitation.

Judge Aylmer said it was a “very regrettable feature” that Adelani is clearly a man of significant intelligence, but he has devoted that intelligence to the commission of crime.

On the charges of burglary and false imprisonment, Adelani was sentenced to seven years imprisonment and he was handed a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence for the production of a kitchen knife with the sentences to run concurrently.

The final 18 months of the seven-year sentence were suspended for a period of 18 months on Adelani entering a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for 18 months after his release. He must also abstain from unprescribed drugs and go under the supervision of the Probation Service for 18 months and engage in offence-focussed work.