Ademola Adedeji, a young man once on track to become a solicitor, spent nearly three years wrongfully imprisoned after being convicted on charges related to a violent incident in Moston, north Manchester. His conviction was overturned in January 2025, but he has since been denied compensation for the time he spent behind bars, highlighting ongoing challenges faced by those seeking redress after miscarriages of justice in the United Kingdom.
Adedeji’s legal troubles began in November 2020, following a violent clash between rival youth groups armed with machetes and baseball bats. During the confrontation, his close friend, 16-year-old John Soyoye—an aspiring rapper—was fatally stabbed. Adedeji, who was not present at the incident and was returning home from school at the time, became embroiled in the case when he sent 11 messages in a Telegram chat discussing retaliation against the group believed responsible for Soyoye’s death. Although he left the chat shortly after and did not participate in any subsequent violence, some members of the group carried out attacks that led to multiple convictions.
Police charged Adedeji with conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm, contending that the participants had formed a gang known as "M40" intent on exacting revenge. His 2022 trial resulted in a conviction alongside nine others—collectively known as the Manchester 10—with sentences ranging for various conspiracy charges. The case drew criticism for its reliance on racial stereotypes and the prosecution’s broad interpretation of conspiracy law, which holds individuals liable for any agreement to commit offenses, regardless of actual intent to carry out the acts.
During the trial, Adedeji was wrongly identified in a video purportedly showing him affiliated with the gang as a drill rapper and drug dealer. However, at his appeal, the actual rapper featured in the footage testified, disproving allegations of Adedeji’s gang membership. This evidence led to the quashing of his conviction, marking him as the only one among the Manchester 10 to have his conviction overturned.
Despite this, Adedeji has been denied financial compensation for his imprisonment. Since 2014, UK law has placed strict criteria on compensation claims following wrongful convictions. Rather than being decided in court, these claims are assessed by the government under the “Section 133 test,” which requires new evidence proving beyond reasonable doubt that the convicted individual did not commit the offense. While Adedeji’s successful appeal confirmed his misidentification, the government argues this does not conclusively prove he did not enter into a criminal conspiracy.
Out of 538 claims lodged over the past decade, only 42 have been successful under this compensation framework. Legal experts and advocates have called the process “brutal,” arguing it leaves many innocent victims without redress, while others defend the test as a necessary balance to prevent unwarranted payouts, especially in complex cases involving quashed convictions on technical grounds.
Adedeji, now 26, expresses frustration over the refusal. “Which is crazy,” he said. “What more can I possibly do to let you know that I am innocent?” He continues to pursue a career in law despite the years lost to imprisonment, underscoring his determination to use his experience to drive change in the justice system.