Two wealthy Nigerian international students, Elvis Ilonze and Daniel Oluyemi, have been found guilty of battering a classmate with a shisha pipe after they argued over whose dad was the richest.
One of the culprits, Elvis Ilonze, is so rich that his Mercedes is covered in fur. He reportedly attacked his childhood pal Prince Nnaji at their home in Brighton, the Sun reports.
The two reportedly chased their friend Prince Nnaji as he tried to flee before beating him with a wine bottle.
They also attacked a law student Chiedozie Dibiagwu, 23, who sat on a chair nearby, and pushed Mr. Nnaji’s girlfriend Louanna Rayawa to the ground.
Ilonze and Oluyemi were both spared jail on Monday after admitting two counts of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.
They were instead sentenced to a one-year prison sentence and suspended for 18 months, following the attack on April 7, 2017.
Judge Christine Laing QC said the pair are incredibly immature as a result of their wealthy background.
“Unlike many of the people who pass through the courts you both come from, effectively, backgrounds of privilege.
“It couldn’t be more childish, effectively an insult on somebody’s parents – who’s got the richer dad – that started this fight.
“You both appear to be incredibly immature, perhaps as a result of being cosseted in your upbringing.”
The court was told Mr Nnaji and Ilonze had known each other from when they were in Nigeria but Ilonze decided to teach his pal a “lesson” after he said he had the richer father.
20-year-old Ilonze came to the UK to study a four-year Masters of Engineering degree at The University of Sussex.
His lawyer Tom Hoskins pleaded with the judge not to sentence him to more than one year in prison as he would face deportation.
Oluyemi, who is training to become an accountant at the same university, is expecting a child later this year.
His barrister, Johnathan Page, said that the right place for him is at home, preparing for the “momentous occasion”.
