![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/2010-mr-akinyemi-died-gunshot-301588773.jpg\")
\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/chinadu-iheagwara-844187254.jpg\")
\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/2016-businessman-cleared-three-underworld-283264396.jpg\"){kind=spacer}
<\/p>\nTHE brutal rise and fall of a notorious gangster known as "King of the Hill" who left a town living in fear has been revealed.<\/p>\n
Stephen Akinyemi – known as "Aki" – is said to have brought terror to Manchester streets before being killed at the home of a businessman.<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/p>\n
Mystery still surrounds the death of the suspected gangster from the Cheetham Hill district 12 years on from an inquest's open verdict.<\/p>\n
The man known as "Aki" has been described as a "trusted lieutenant" in Manchester's notorious "Cheetham Hillbillies" gang.<\/p>\n
He drove a silver Porsche with a personalised number plate "AKI" and was a familiar face in the city's bars and nightclubs, the MEN reported.<\/p>\n
His mob, also known as the "Cheetham Hill Gang", are said to have sprung up in the 1980s, carrying out armed robberies before moving into drug-dealing.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/crop-23893365.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/newspress-collage-23892987-1694380682329.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Akinyemi became police's chief suspect for the murder of 34-year-old Chinada Iheagwara who was shot dead at a house in Crumpsall, Greater Manchester, in February 2002.<\/p>\n
Iheagwara had previously been jailed for 20 years for his role in an machete attack on a currency depot security guard in Oldham in April 1989, serving half his sentence. <\/p>\n
Akinyemi was reportedly viewed as an "elder statesman" among Manchester gangland figures.<\/p>\n
He managed to escape prosecution for other offences he was suspected of.<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n These included the alleged rape in January 2010 of a woman who says her drink was spiked during a night out at a bar in Stockport.<\/p>\n Akinyemi was alleged to have driven the "disoriented" victim back to his apartment then raped her at knifepoint, before warning her: "If this gets out, I'll have you."<\/p>\n The following month he died at a millionaire businessman's converted chapel mansion in Alderley Edge, Cheshire.<\/p>\n Akinyemi, 44, was wearing body armour and a stab-proof vest when he turned up at Arran Coghlan's home.<\/p>\n Coghlan was charged with murder after calling police who found Akinyemi dead with shooting and stab wounds on February 9 2010.<\/p>\n Tributes were paid at the time on a Facebook page set up in his memory, including "True Bad Man. RIP bro. Never forgotten" and "RIP King of the Hill".<\/p>\n Coghlan insisted he acted in self-defence in a tussle after Akinyemi aimed a a gun at him and charges were dropped in July that year.<\/p>\n An inquest the following February at Warrington Coroner's Court delivered an open verdict.<\/p>\n A second inquest was held in 2017 where the coroner gave a narrative verdict, ruling Mr Coghlan had been "acting reasonably to defend himself".<\/p>\n It was suggested Mr Coghlan was trying to act as a peacemaker in a roq between Akinyemi and a third man Philip Atkinson, over who had the right to use the nickname "Aki".<\/p>\n Akinyemi ran his own security firm and studied various martial arts.<\/p>\n Two years before his death killing, Coghlan was stabbed in the neck and shoulder at Cobden's bar in Stockport during New Year's Eve celebrations.<\/p>\n Akinyemi was running the venue's security at the time.<\/p>\n At the 2017 inquest his brother John Akinyemi said he had never asked "Aki" about the details and knew nothing about the incident.<\/p>\n He also denied suggestions Akinyemi was a violent man, insisting he never saw his brother go beyond six on a temper scale of one to 10.<\/p>\n When asked at the inquest whether his brother belonged to the Cheetham Hill Gang, John Akinyemi said: "He lived in Cheetham.<\/p>\n "He knew a lot of people but he kept his own company. When you walk alone, that's not a gang, is it?"<\/p>\n But someone who knew Akinyemi told the MEN: "He was evil. They are painting him to be some kind of angel on Facebook and it's absolutely disgraceful.<\/p>\n "He was very dangerous. This was no hero. He was a bully. People were so frightened of him that no one would speak out against him.<\/p>\n "Cheetham Hill is a better place, a safer place, now he is dead."<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/crop-23893874.jpg\")
<\/picture>SOAP WEDDING <\/span><\/p>\nEmmerdale’s Amy Walsh marries EastEnders star fiance in front of co-stars<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/KS_COMP_6-v2-1.jpg\")
<\/picture>NOA HOFFMAN <\/span><\/p>\nI matched with Commons ‘spy’ on dating app, I re-read our texts and was shocked<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/TM-comp-Calvin-Wedding-v2.jpg\")
<\/picture>WEDDING BASH <\/span><\/p>\nInside Calvin Harris & Vick Hope’s Glasto-themed wedding with showbiz pals<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/JB-COMP-DOG-ATTACK-v2.jpg\")
<\/picture>DEVIL DOG BAN <\/span><\/p>\nHome Sec vows to outlaw killer XL Bully dogs after horror attack on girl, 11<\/h3>\n
'THIS WAS NO HERO'<\/h2>\n
Read More on The Sun<\/span><\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/EP_FASHION_FAIL_COMP.jpg\")
<\/p>\nI\u2019m a teacher & had a wardrobe malfunction, I was only told at the end of my day<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/newspress-collage-23895432-1694423767944.jpg\")
<\/p>\nI paid \u00a3200 to be \u2018as blonde as possible\u2019 – the result couldn\u2019t look more off<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/general-view-cheetham-hill-road-18065672.jpg\")
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/arran-coghlan-outside-royal-courts-301573635.jpg\")
![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/cobdens-bar-stockport-844180744.jpg\")