By Enyichukwu Enemanna
A court in the United States has slammed 40 years life imprisonment on an American over the brutal murder of his former boss, Fahim Saleh, the 33-year-old Founder and CEO of Nigerian transportation company, Gokada.
Tyrese Haspil’s sentencing comes two months after a New York State Supreme Court jury convicted him on charges of first-degree murder, second-degree grand larceny, and other offences.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Jr. issued a statement following the sentencing, stating, “Today, Tyrese Haspil is facing accountability for brutally murdering and decapitating Fahim Saleh, a kind, generous, and empathetic person who positively impacted the world.
“Even after the defendant stole from him to fund a lavish lifestyle, Mr. Saleh still gave him a second chance. While today’s sentence won’t bring Mr. Saleh back, I hope it provides his family a sense of closure as they continue to mourn his painful loss.”
Prosecutors revealed that surveillance footage from July 13, 2020, captured Haspil following Saleh into his Lower Manhattan apartment building.
Once inside the elevator that led directly to Saleh’s residence, Haspil attacked him with a taser, incapacitating him before fatally stabbing him multiple times in the neck and torso.
The next day, Haspil returned to the apartment where he “dismembered and decapitated Mr. Saleh’s body using the saw and placed the body parts in pre-ordered construction bags,” as stated in the release.
Saleh’s body was discovered by his cousin, who went to his apartment after not hearing from him for 24 hours. Upon discovering the horrific scene, she immediately contacted the authorities.
The investigation revealed that Haspil, who had served as Saleh’s executive assistant since 2018, embezzled nearly $400,000 from his boss’s accounts.
Saleh had discovered the theft, but rather than taking legal action, he allowed Haspil the chance to repay the money.
Despite this opportunity, Haspil continued to steal, using elaborate methods such as setting up fraudulent PayPal accounts and forging financial documents to hide his activities.
According to prosecutors, Haspil had previously plotted to kill Saleh multiple times before eventually carrying out the murder in a bid to cover up his embezzlement and prevent Saleh from testifying against him.
Four days after the crime, Haspil was arrested at an Airbnb he had rented to celebrate his girlfriend’s birthday.
Saleh’s death sent shockwaves through both the tech and entrepreneurial communities.
Gokada, the company he founded in 2017, initially launched as a ride-hailing service in Nigeria before expanding into logistics and food delivery.
The company described Saleh’s dedication to Nigeria and its youth as “immeasurable,” noting that he believed young Nigerians had great potential and that technology could transform lives and improve safety and efficiency.
In their statement, Gokada said, “He believed young Nigerians are extremely bright and talented individuals who would flourish if just given the right opportunity.
“Fahim also believed that technology can transform lives and improve safety and efficiency. He built Gokada to act upon these beliefs.”
