A 25-year-old American man, Tyrese Devon Haspil, the personal assistant turned convicted killer, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for the brutal murder of his former boss, Fahim Saleh, the founder of Nigerian ride-hailing company Gokada, in New York City.
The sentencing took place on September 13, 2024, at a US District Court in New York, bringing a closure to the case. This followed his conviction by a New York State Supreme Court jury two months ago.
Haspil was arrested in 2020 after police discovered Saleh’s dismembered body in his Manhattan apartment. He was found guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree grand larceny and other charges.
Saleh, a 33-year-old entrepreneur, had built a business empire with Gokada, Pathao, and JoBike, leaving behind a legacy of innovation and progress.
The Manhattan District Attorney, Alvin Bragg Jr., in a press release on Tuesday said, “Today, Tyrese Haspil is facing accountability for brutally murdering and decapitating Fahim Saleh, a kind, generous, and empathetic person who positively impacted the world.
“Even after the defendant stole from him to fund a lavish lifestyle, Mr. Saleh still gave him a second chance. Today’s sentence won’t bring Mr Saleh back, I hope it provides his family a sense of closure as they continue to mourn his painful loss.”
Surveillance footage showed Haspil entering Saleh’s apartment building in Lower Manhattan on July 13, 2020, and attacking him with a taser and knife, resulting in his death.
The next day, Haspil returned to the apartment where he “dismembered and decapitated Mr. Saleh’s body used the saw and placed the body parts in pre-ordered construction bags,” as stated in the release.
Saleh’s cousin made the discovery after visiting his apartment to check on his welfare, having not received any communication from him in 24 hours. She immediately notified the police.
Haspil, who was Saleh’s executive assistant, had been embezzling thousands of dollars from Saleh’s accounts since 2018.
He set up fake financial statements and used a similar name to legitimate transactions to conceal the embezzlement. Despite repaying some of the money, Haspil continued to steal, totaling an estimated $400,000.
Prosecutors revealed that Haspil had plotted to murder Saleh at least three times before carrying out the crime in July 2020. He aimed to hide the embezzlement and prevent Saleh from testifying against him.
“Haspil resigned in May 2019, knowing Mr. Saleh would learn about the embezzlement, yet continued to steal money [and] increasing the amounts,” prosecutors said.
Saleh’s company issued a statement after his passing, describing his dedication to Nigeria and its youth as “immeasurable.”
“He believed young Nigerians are extremely bright and talented individuals who would flourish if just given the right opportunity
“Fahim also believed that technology can transform lives and improve safety and efficiency. He built Gokada to act upon these beliefs,” the statement read.
Gokada, launched in 2017, diversified into logistics and food delivery in 2020.