• Four men sentenced in the murder of Swedish rap star C.Gambino.
• The shooting was described as "akin to an execution" by the judge.
• Gang violence is a growing issue in Sweden, with increasing fatalities.

In a notable case of escalating gang violence in Sweden, four men aged 19 to 22 have been sentenced for their involvement in the killing of the 26-year-old rapper C.Gambino, real name Karar Ramadan, who was shot in a Gothenburg parking garage on June 4, 2024. The court found that although two men were charged with murder or aiding in the murder, it could not be definitively established which of them fired the lethal shots. "The shooting was akin to an execution and caused the victim severe suffering," stated judge Anne Rapp in her remarks regarding the case, emphasizing the crime's public nature and its roots in conflicts between criminal networks.

One offender, aged 22, received a life sentence for aiding and abetting the murder, having allegedly taken part in the planning and providing the vehicle used in the attack, which was later burned beyond recognition. A 20-year-old was sentenced to 15 years and six months for similar charges, while a 21-year-old received a 12-year and six-month sentence. The fourth man, aged 19, was given a 10-month term for his involvement in protecting a criminal and committing vandalism. The investigation underscored that while C.Gambino was not linked to any criminal organization, individuals from his inner circle had connections to such networks.

The case has drawn attention to the growing problem of gang violence in Sweden, where the murder of C.Gambino came shortly after winning the hip-hop artist of the year at the 2024 Grammis Awards. The investigation faced significant challenges, including the absence of the murder weapon and difficulties in confirming the identities of the perpetrators through available evidence such as mobile phone data and CCTV footage. The incident has further spotlighted the brutal reality of gang-related homicides in Sweden's urban areas, which have seen a troubling rise in recent years.