Kema Salum, 39 (23.09.79) of Kirkstall Avenue, N17 was sentenced to 23 years imprisonment for murdering 35-year-old Leyla Mtumwa at the Old Bailey today, Monday, 29 October.

He previously pleaded guilty to murder at the same court on Monday, 24 September.

Police were called on Friday, 30 March at around 07:00hrs to reports of a violent assault at an address in Kirkstall Avenue, N17.

Officers arrived on scene and Salum answered the door with blood on his hands claiming his wife had injured him.

Leyla was found inside the property suffering from stab injuries. Despite the best efforts of the emergency services, she was pronounced dead at the scene at 08:11hrs.

Salum was arrested immediately on suspicion of murder and the Homicide and Major Crime Command launched an investigation.

The court heard that whilst handcuffed at the scene, Salum told officers: “This is my wife and we fight.”

A post mortem examination carried out at Haringey Public Mortuary gave her cause of death as incised stab wounds to the neck and chest.

Salum was charged with his wife’s murder on Saturday, 31 March.

Detective Chief Inspector Dave Whellams who led the investigation said: “In what should have been the safest place for her, Leyla was brutally stabbed to death by her husband.

“The true motive of Leyla’s death still remains unknown and sadly we may never know what happened in the lead up to the attack.

“However I hope today’s sentence brings Leyla’s family some measure of comfort and closure.”