Four men have been jailed after a dad-to-be was stabbed and left for dead in a car park.

The victim, Malikhi Ford, was found fatally injured in Temple Hill Square, Dartford.

The 22-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at the scene despite the best efforts of medics.

It happened at around 7.15pm on April 2 last year when Emmanuel Nkrumah-Buansi and Jacob Afolabi arranged to meet Malikhi in a communal parking area, near Mallard Close.

They approached their target who was sitting in a car and, during their attempt to rob him, Nkrumah-Buansi stabbed the victim. They then fled the area.

An investigation was carried out by the police and both men were identified as being involved and arrested. Further enquiries linked a third man, Lee Garrard to them through phone messages and he was also detained.

Officers were working at the scene for days to establish the full circumstance and the death shocked the local community.

Enquiries led police to believe Nkrumah-Buansi, Afolabi and another man, Habib Kanu planned to rob Malikhi and others using information supplied by Garrard.

Detectives also proved Nkrumah-Buansi, Afolabi, along with another man, Habib Kanu had taken part in an earlier robbery in Dartford on March 25.

That incident left a man suffering wounds to his left hand and back. Kanu was subsequently detained after the arrest of the other three and linked by officers to the incident involving Malikhi.

Police later confirmed they were treating his death in Temple Hill Square as murder and the Crown Prosecution authorised a charge of murder against Afolabi and Nkrumah-Buansi.

They were also charged with conspiracy to rob and causing grievous bodily harm with intent, along with Garrard and Kanu.

At Woolwich Crown Court, Nkrumah-Buansi, of Mayplace Road East, Bexleyheath and Afolabi, of Joyce Green Lane, Dartford both denied murder.

On January 20, a jury found them instead both guilty of manslaughter. All four men were convicted of grievous bodily harm with intent.

Kanu, of Buckland Hill, Maidstone and Afolabi were also convicted of conspiracy to rob. Nkrumah-Buansi and Garrard, of Laburnum Avenue, Dartford had pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy charge at an earlier hearing.

They were all jailed for a collective term of more than 70 years at Woolwich Crown Court yesterday (June 5).

The judge jailed 39-year-old Nkrumah-Buansi for 21 years. When he is released he will be subject to an extended licence period of five years.

Afolabi, 27, received 21 years' imprisonment and when he is released he will be subject to an extended licence period of three years.

Both Nkrumah-Buansi and Afolabi will have to serve 14 years before being eligible for parole.

Meanwhile accomplice Kanu, 34, was sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment. When he is released he will be subject to an extended licence period of three years.

Garrard, 31, received 11 years and eight months' imprisonment. Kanu is required to serve nine years and four months and Garrard almost eight years before they are eligible for parole.

An inquest held shortly after Malikhi’s death gave the cause as a stab wound to the left groin area.

Speaking at the time, Coroner Alan Blunsdon said: "The circumstances are that Mr Ford was allegedly attacked by three unknown males in a car where he was fatally stabbed and had a cardiac arrest.

“Emergency services attended but medical intervention did not manage to save him."

After his death, it was revealed that Malikhi, from Annesley Road, in London died just two weeks before he was due to become a dad for the first time.

In a tribute online his family described him as their "loving, funny and playful beautiful boy".

They added: "He had so much to live for. He was just 22 years old, with his baby due in two weeks. There are so many broken hearts."

Investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Kathleen Way, said: “These four men have shown no remorse for their actions and involvement in these violent incidents.

“They were motivated by greed and had no hesitation in arming themselves with weapons in order to inflict serious injury to ensure they were successful.

“Their plan only ended when one young man senselessly lost his life. This was a brazen attack which happened in a small community, which caused considerable fear and anxiety.

“I’m pleased the jury has found them guilty of their crimes and that they have been sentenced accordingly.”