A 25-year-old American man, Tyrese Haspil, has been sentenced to 40 years to life for the murder of his former boss, Fahim Saleh, the 33-year-old founder of Gokada, a Nigerian transportation startup. The sentencing took place after Haspil’s conviction for first-degree murder, grand larceny, and other charges.
Prosecutors revealed that Haspil had been embezzling money from Saleh, who, despite discovering the theft, gave Haspil a second chance. However, in an effort to cover up his crimes, Haspil brutally murdered Saleh in July 2020.
Surveillance footage showed Haspil following Saleh into his Lower Manhattan apartment, where he used a taser to incapacitate him before fatally stabbing him. The next day, Haspil returned to the scene, dismembering and decapitating Saleh’s body to hide the crime.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Jr. called Saleh a kind and generous person who had a significant positive impact on the world, and expressed hope that the sentence would bring closure to Saleh’s grieving family.
The Gokada founder, known for his vision of empowering Nigerian youth and using technology to drive social change, had built the company into a major player in the ride-hailing, logistics, and food delivery sectors in Nigeria.
Haspil was arrested after police discovered Saleh’s body, following a tip-off from Saleh’s cousin who had gone to check on him. The crime shocked the tech and business communities, especially given Saleh’s reputation as a dedicated entrepreneur working to improve lives in Nigeria.
