The death of a dad in Kingston has prompted his mother to call for the community, police and the Government to tackle knife crime.

Derick Mulondo, 38, died on June 6 after being found with stab wounds in a Kingston estate.

Derick and his mum, Sophie Kafeero, moved from Uganda to Kingston in the early 90s when he was only nine years old and formed a tight knit African community together in the borough.

Moses Bwanika was Derick’s close friend as they grew up together. He said: “I grew up with him since 1993 and known him since the Uganda days.

“His mum and our mum were friends. His mum introduced him to use to take him under our wing and we never looked back.”

Derick lived in Kingston ever since he moved to the UK from Uganda, going to Hollyfield School and eventually to Kingston College.

He had a 16-year-old son, and his own dad had died long before the family had moved to the UK.

Derick was also a big Chelsea fan and played amateur football for a number of local teams, including United Colours of Kingston, and had recently started training five-year-olds in the borough to play.

Speaking to Surrey Comet, Ms Kafeero said: “He played as a striker so at the club they called him Maradona. I still have his shirt.

“He was a very likeable person and had a fantastic smile and very polite and worked well with very many people.

“He would always buy you a drink at the bar. If you tried to pay for your drink he insisted that no, I will pay for the drink.”

At around 6pm on Tuesday (June 6) police were called to reports of a disturbance in Cambridge Estate in Kingston.

Shortly before that, 69-year-old Ms Kafeero was on the phone to her son because she was having issues with her television.

She said: “I was having problems with my TV so I wanted him to come over. I called him the first time and he said he can’t do it.

“I called him the second time and he tried to explain it to me but I didn’t understand. So I called him the third time and he didn’t answer.

“If he had come over to show me the TV he probably would have survived.”

When paramedics and the London Air Ambulance arrived at the scene, they found Derick suffering from serious stab wounds.

The medical team tried to save him but he was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem at Uxbridge Mortuary gave the cause of death as a stab wound to the left lung.

Ms Kafeero said: “Around 6.45pm I was told that Derick had been stabbed to death. His friends all came rushing here.

“I have to remain very strong. I held my composure and did not shed a single tear when I went to identify his body.”

For Ms Kafeero, the tragedy has brought into focus the problem with knife crime in her community.

She said: “Someone has got to start this campaign about knife crime. It has wrecked my life.

“It’s mainly the black African men. Is it something in our families? What is making these young black men kill each other?

“What can we do as parents? We can’t pass the buck. Is the Government seriously concerned or not?

“It has taken somebody who was central to my life and my wellbeing. His room will be empty.

“I am a very good activist, I fought against Aids in the local community. We have to start somewhere.

“He was my only child. This place will never be the same after what happened. He was my life.

“What am I going to do here? I am retired. What am I working for? My life is empty now.”

Shauna Doyle, 23, from Burritt Road in Kingston, and Eric Wertz, 45, from Comber Road in New Malden, have been charged with murder.

They appeared in custody at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Friday (June 9) and were remanded to appear at the Old Bailey on June 13.

Both are also charged with possession of an offensive weapon.

A 51-year-old man has been released under investigation.