Man slashed in the arm with samurai sword in Canary Wharf

A former rugby player says he feels like he’s used ‘two or three’ of his nine lives after he was attacked by a man allegedly with a samurai sword.

Alex Ogbechie was meeting friends at Boisdale, a whisky and cigar bar in Canary Wharf, on Saturday night.

At the same time, he was due to meet an acquaintance who wanted to buy some cigars from him.

But 45-year-old Alex claims that he was then attacked with a samurai sword.

Alex was able to turn just in time, meaning the sword cut through his arm and side, rather than potentially plunging into his torso.

He suffered major nerve damage in his arm, losing movement in three of his fingers, and could be off work for months while he recovers.

The emergency services were called and paramedics arrived on the scene within four minutes, before Alex and one of his friends were taken to hospital.

‘That sword could have gone through me and straight out the other side,’ Alex said, speaking soon after he was discharged from hospital on Monday afternoon.

He had emergency surgery on Sunday to try and repair the nerves and tendons in his left arm, as well as receiving further treatment for cuts to his side and other arm.

Alex praised hospital staff who treated him, who he said were ‘very helpful’ and went through the entire process with him.

He added: ‘Hopefully I will get some movement back in my fingers.

‘I can’t go back to work because I can’t use my arm, so I hope I recover quickly enough to get back to work and back into a routine.’

A Met spokesperson said: ‘Police were called by the London Ambulance Service at 21:29hrs on Saturday, 2 August to reports a man had been stabbed in a car park at Cabot Square, Canary Wharf.

‘A man in his 40s was found at the scene with serious injuries and was taken to hospital. His injuries have been deemed non-life changing.

‘Rasheed Adekunle, 57, of Ross Avenue, Dagenham, has been charged with grievous bodily harm with intent, possession of a bladed article, robbery and driving a motor vehicle without insurance.

‘He has been remanded in custody and will appear at Thames Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 6 August.’

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