A third man has been jailed for his part in a drive-by shooting outside a house party in Essex. Temitope Adeyinka, 41, has been sentenced to 19 years in prison after being found guilty of manslaughter following a trial at Woolwich Crown Court.

Father-of-three Robert Powell, 50, was shot eight times as he left the party in Roydon, near Harlow, in June 2020. Two men were jailed for his murder last year, with Essex Police saying it believes more unidentified suspects were also involved in the shooting. The force said Adeyinka, of Buxton Road in Stratford, east London, acted as a “spotter” looking for Mr Powell.

Sentencing Adeyinka on Thursday, Judge Mr Justice Bennathan said: “You must have known a team was being assembled.

“By the time you were outside Hills House, you must’ve known for many hours you were joining in an elaborately planned attack.”

Nana Oppong, 45, of West Road in Stratford, and Israar Shah, 41, of Ongar Road in Kelvedon Hatch, Essex, were both convicted of Mr Powell’s murder and possession of a firearm in May last year.

Oppong, described by police as the “principal organiser”, was sentenced to a minimum of 38 years.

Shah, who was also a spotter like Adeyinka, was sentenced to a minimum of 26 years.

Oppong was apprehended in September 2022 after being found hiding in the back of a lorry entering Morocco, while Shah was arrested in Spain three months later.

Adeyinka was also detained in Spain in May 2024.

The suspects were located in three different cars.

The gunman exited a Ford Kuga — the vehicle which Oppong was inside.

Shah and Adeyinka were looking out for Mr Powell in a Toyota Prius, while there was also a backup vehicle.

Police said each man played their part in organising or carrying out the killing, ditching the vehicles used, destroying their burner phones and fleeing the country after realising investigators were closing in.

The force said Oppong had long been set on murdering Mr Powell over a grievance, but the full nature of this is unknown.

Mr Powell was shot by a 9mm pistol and died in hospital the following day.

Two women also suffered serious injuries after they were caught in the gunfire.

Mr Powell was a music manager and also grandfather of two.

Detective Superintendent Stephen Jennings, who has led the investigation over the past five years, said: “One by one, Oppong, Shah and finally Adeyinka have been tracked down, arrested and now convicted.

“If you come to Essex intent on engaging in organised crime, intent on gun violence, we will not stop in our efforts to find you.”

He added: “But it’s important to state our investigation is not over. It is evident other, as yet unidentified, suspects were involved in this shooting.

“Our work continues.”

Adeyinka was cleared of murder and possession of a firearm.

According to the BBC, he had nine previous convictions and was on licence after being convicted of supplying Class A drugs when Mr Powell was killed.

The defence argued Adeyinka was unaware there was a loaded firearm at the scene, suggesting he had been recruited late to the operation.

The defence barrister said Adeyinka was “muscle” and didn’t get out of the vehicle.