Tevin Nzita

Case record: Tevin Nzita

Status and sentencing

Tevin Nzita was sentenced to 25 years’ custodial at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday, 23 July. Anthony Da Sousa was sentenced to 15 years’ custodial on the same date. Christopher Da Sousa was sentenced to 4 years’ custodial on the same date. The trial at Woolwich Crown Court ended with convictions on Thursday, 4 June, followed by sentencing on Thursday, 23 July.

People involved

• Tevin Nzita, 29 (15.07.95), of Warbank Crescent, Croydon. He was convicted of attempted murder and also convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life. He was sentenced to 25 years’ custodial.
• Anthony Da Sousa, 30 (30.01.95), of Station Approach, Coulsdon. He was convicted of wounding with intent and also convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life. He was sentenced to 15 years’ custodial.
• Christopher Da Sousa, 27 (30.01.99), of Mickleham Way, Croydon. He was convicted of encouraging or assisting the commission of one or more offences and was sentenced to 4 years’ custodial.
• Detective Constable John Davis, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command. He led the investigation.
• Victim, a man in his 30s. He was ambushed while standing beside his parked car in New Addington. He was shot and suffered serious injuries but survived and recovered.

The offence

The victim was ambushed while standing beside his parked car in New Addington one evening in May 2025. A black saloon car pulled alongside him in a residential street. One of the passengers got out and fired two shots at close range.

The victim had managed to jump into the driver’s seat of his car moments before the attack. The first shot smashed through the windscreen and narrowly missed him. The gunman then ran around the victim’s car before firing a second shot through the driver’s side window, striking him in the chest.

The victim suffered serious injuries but survived and has since recovered.

Investigation

Officers were called shortly after 19:26hrs on Wednesday, 21 May 2025 following reports that shots had been fired on Walsh Crescent. Armed and local officers quickly secured the scene while detectives launched an investigation, working at pace to identify those responsible.

The victim had already made his way to a nearby hospital before officers arrived. Officers recovered a mobile phone from the victim’s car containing footage of the victim and another man confronting Tevin Nzita around ten minutes before the shooting. Detectives used this footage to identify Nzita as the suspected gunman within hours and established the shooting was a targeted retaliation.

Detectives reviewed extensive CCTV footage, traced the movements of the suspects before and after the attack, and built a detailed picture of how the shootings had been planned and carried out. The investigation established that Nzita fired the shotgun, Anthony Da Sousa drove the saloon car used in the attack, and Christopher Da Sousa played a key role in finding the victim, giving directions and assisting with preparations beforehand.

Phone records showed the defendants were in contact at crucial moments before and after the shooting, while location data placed them at key locations. Forensic examinations confirmed the weapon used was a sawn-off double-barrelled shotgun fired at close range.

Following extensive CCTV enquiries, detectives tracked the suspects’ vehicle to Old Coulsdon, around six miles from the scene, where it had initially been hidden beneath a cover. Investigators established Anthony Da Sousa had arranged for damage to the car to be repaired before having cloned number plates fitted.

The trial included key video evidence:

• footage filmed by the victim showing Tevin Nzita shortly before the shooting,
• CCTV capturing the suspects’ movements before and after the attack,
• audio capturing the sound of the gunshots.

Detective Constable John Davis described the attack and the investigation:

“This was an incredibly dangerous attack carried out in a residential street where innocent members of the public could easily have been caught in the crossfire.
“The offenders acted together to locate the victim, track his movements and carry out a planned shooting using a sawn-off shotgun capable of killing. Their actions showed a complete disregard for human life.
“Our investigation combined CCTV enquiries, forensic evidence, mobile phone analysis and eyewitness accounts to build an overwhelming case that proved the role each man played.
“The Met remains relentless in targeting those involved in gun crime. Since 2018, firearms discharges in London have fallen by almost 90 per cent and last year we seized 75 per cent more firearms than the previous year. Every illegal firearm we recover is one less weapon capable of devastating our communities.”

Arrest

Anthony Da Sousa and Tevin Nzita were arrested within two weeks of the shooting. Christopher Da Sousa was later identified and arrested in December.

Trial

After a trial at Woolwich Crown Court, all three defendants were convicted on Thursday, 4 June.

• Tevin Nzita was convicted of attempted murder.
• Anthony Da Sousa was convicted of wounding with intent.
• Both Nzita and Anthony Da Sousa were also convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life.
• Christopher Da Sousa was convicted of encouraging or assisting the commission of one or more offences.

Sentencing

On Thursday, 23 July, the court sentenced:

• Tevin Nzita to 25 years’ custodial,
• Anthony Da Sousa to 15 years’ custodial,
• Christopher Da Sousa to 4 years’ custodial.

Outcome and aftermath

The Met Police described reductions in gun crime and firearms discharges in London:

• Since 2018, firearms discharges across London had reduced by almost 90 per cent.
• Last year, officers seized 75 per cent more firearms than the previous year.
• Over the past 18 months, the number of the most serious violent offences had fallen by almost 20 per cent, while lethal gunshot victims had reduced by 27 per cent.
• Gun crime had more than halved since 2020.