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by Seyi Lawal

19-year-old Nigerian, Kazeem Kolawole has been sentenced to life in prison after a gang shooting in South London last year left a five-year-old girl, Thusha Kamaleswaran paralysed.

According to reports, the shooting which took place on March 29, 2011 was captured on the store’s CCTV camera and showed the emotional moments when the shy five-year-old with pigtails, danced happily in the aisles of her aunt’s small store. Moments later, she was knocked down by a bullet to the chest fired through the store’s open door by the three men as they pursued members of a rival gang.

Kolawole was an accessory to murder being in the company of the ring leader Nathaniel Grant, 21, who actually carried out the shooting and Anthony McCalla, 20.

Grant would spend a minimum of 17 years before he is eligible for parole while McCalla and Kolawole would spend a minimum of 14 years before being eligible for parole.

In a disturbing footage of the court proceeding, the three were shown to have no sign of emotion as their sentences were passed.