Jeffrey Okafor
Jeffrey Okafor (L) has been jailed for life for the murder of Carl Beatson-Asiedu Met Police

A man who went on the run for five years after fatally stabbing a CBBC star has been jailed for life for his murder.

Carl Beatson-Asiedu, who appeared in the BBC children's series MI High, was killed after he was stabbed in the heart as left a central London club in 2009.

Jeffrey Okafor, 24, admitted killing the 19-year-old to his girlfriend, but fled to Nigeria using his brother's passport, sparking a five-year manhunt before he was extradited.

He was found guilty following a trial at Woolwich Crown Court and today (1 May) was sentenced to life with a minimum 17 years in jail.

Beatson-Asiedu was a university student who also went by the name DJ Charmz. On the night he was killed, he and some friends had performed a set at the Club Life nightclub in Kennington, south London.

After leaving, they were approached by another group of men who they'd had minor disputes with in the past. Although, since leaving college the two groups had no further further issues between them until that night.

After an argument broke out, Beatson-Asiedu was stabbed once in the heart by Okafor and was later pronounced dead.

Okafor rang his girlfriend to admit he stabbed Beatson-Asiedu and asked her to dispose of some clothes he had been wearing when he killed the 19-year-old.

He then withdrew all his money before leaving on a flight to Lagos, Nigeria using his brother Junior's passport.

Police said Okafor managed to lead a "relatively comfortable life aided by others" during his five years in Nigeria, including joining the National Youth Service Corps and completing part of the equivalent of national service.

He was arrested in September 2014 after information was passed on to the Nigerian authorities.

Det insp Alison Hepworth, said: "Jeffrey Okafor fled the UK to Nigeria illegally under a false identity in the hope of evading capture. He lived a relatively comfortable life and even had the opportunity to study at university. There is no doubt that he was supported by others both in the UK and in Nigeria.

"In the five years he was on the run he was living a life that Carl should have been living but he was never afforded the opportunity to finish university.

"Carl's death has had a profound effect on his family and they have waited a very long time to see justice served. The Metropolitan Police Service has supported the family through the previous trials and over the course of the past five years since Carl's death. Carl's family and friends have shown faith in the police to bring to justice all of the people involved in Carl's murder.

"I can only commend them for their steadfastness and patience and I hope that seeing their son's killer finally behind bars brings some form of comfort to them.

"Today's sentence should serve as a warning to those who attempt to evade justice. No matter the length of time or distance we will do all we can, using all means available to us to find you."