Since David Lawal was stabbed to death following a drugs feud in Thetford more than two years ago a total of 16 people have been arrested and investigated. This timeline of events lays bare the complexity of the police inquiry and the tangled world of county lines drug rings which led to Mr Lawal's manslaughter.


October 3, 2019

Man, aged 17, arrested on suspicion of murder; later released on bail.

Man, 26, arrested on suspicion of murder; no further action taken on murder arrest but later admitted possessing bladed article.

Man, 29, arrested on suspicion of murder; released under investigation after questioning. Later had no further action taken against him.

Man, 48, arrested on suspicion of possessing a blade and Class A drugs; released under investigation after questioning. In July 2020 he received a 26-week custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months for both offences.

October 6, 2019

Man, 26, arrested on suspicion of possession of knife/bladed article.

October 8, 2019

Man, 64, arrested for assisting offenders. He was to have no further action taken against him.

October 11, 2019

Thetford man, 60s, arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, released with no further action to be taken.

October 15, 2019

Man, 33, arrested in Haverhill on suspicion of murder, being concerned in supply of controlled drug. Released on bail.

Haverhill man, 22, arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, conspiracy to supply class a drugs and perverting course of justice; released under investigation. Investigation passed to another force as ruled out of murder enquiry.

Man, 17, re-arrested in Greater London on suspicion of murder; released on bail.

October 17, 2019

Haverhill man, 23, arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender; released under investigation. Later had no further action taken against him.

Norwich man, 42, arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender; released under investigation. Later had no further action taken against him.

October 19, 2019

Thetford woman, 25, arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender; released under investigation. Later had no further action taken against her.

October 24, 2019

Man, 17, arrested in London on suspicion of murder and conspiracy to supply; released on bail.

October 30, 2019

Man, 16, arrested in London on suspicion of murder and possession with intent to supply; released on bail.

November 7, 2019

Woman, 19, arrested in Bedford on suspicion of assisting an offender and conspiracy to supply Class A drugs; released on bail.

November 13, 2019

Woman, 17, arrested in Haverhill on suspicion of assisting an offender and conspiracy to supply Class A drugs; released on bail.

November 20, 2019

Woman, 21, arrested in London on suspicion of assisting an offender and conspiracy to supply Class A drugs; released on bail.

December 18, 2019

Seven people rearrested and reinterviewed.

Four men charged with murder and conspiracy to supply.

Three women bailed.

January 21, 2020

Rimmel Arthur, now aged 28, and of Baronet Road, Greater London, admitted possession of a bladed article at Norwich Crown Court in November 2019 and on January 21, 2020 was jailed for 18 months.

January 24, 2020

Woman, 21, charged with murder & conspiracy to supply Class A drugs

Woman, 19, charged with assisting offenders and conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

Woman, 17, charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

March, 2020

Five defendants deny the murder of Mr Lawal with a trial initially being set for August 17, 2020

July, 2020

The murder trial was put back until 2021 in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic with a date in November 2021 eventually being settled upon.

November 15, 2021

Jury sworn into try five people accused of the murder of Mr Lawal in Thetford in October 2019

November 19, 2021

Amrik Singh pleads guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Lawal and admits conspiracy to supply Class A drugs

December, 2021

Singh sentenced alongside others who admit conspiracy to supply class A drugs