Man admits arson in voice note before setting fire to Rowe Court, Reading

"I was filled with fury” were the words of 32-year-old Hakeem Kigundu as he turned himself into Reading police station last December.

Mr Kigundu has been sentenced to life in prison today (Friday).

The man, who pleaded guilty to two counts of murder, two counts of grievous bodily harm and one count of arson with the intent to endanger life, appeared in court yesterday (Thursday) and today (Friday).

Rowe Court, off Grovelands Road, caught fire on December 15 at 2.56am trapping 24 people and killing two.

Of the 24 flats, only two were vacant at this time. Those in the building weren't able to escape via the burning stairwell with some resorting to jumping out the window – including a pregnant woman.

On December 9, at 2.23am, less than a week before the incident, Mr Kigundu recorded a voice note on his mobile phone that said: “All the actions I am about to take are warranted, believe me.”

Thames Valley Police has released CCTV footage of Mr Kigundu just days before he set fire to his former home.

Four days before the incident, on December 11 at 1.24pm, he was caught on CCTV filling a container with petrol at the BP petrol station on Oxford Road, Reading.

At 1.45am, he was captured on CCTV filling up a container with petrol at the BP petrol station on Basingstoke Road.

Around half an hour later he was seen filling a container with petrol at the BP petrol station on Rose Kiln Lane.

Mr Kigundu, formerly of 77 Rowe Court, was not known to the police prior to the incident but his antisocial behaviour – through gaming into the early hours of the morning and loud music – was discovered during the investigation.

Upon a resident complaint to the landlord Mr Kigundu was told, in October, that his tenancy agreement was not to be renewed. He lost his job in the same month.

The then 31-year-old was due to leave his residence on December 15 (Wednesday). The night of the fire.

The emergency services arrived at the scene at around 2.52am on December 15.

Mr Kigundu drove straight to Reading police station to hand himself in said senior investigating officer on the case, Det Insp Sally Spencer.

She said: “He headed straight to the police station at about 3.05am, uses the phone outside to call the police and spoke to the operator. He said he has been involved with a bit of arson.”

In CCTV footage, released by Thames Valley Police, Mr Kigundu can be seen at the entrance to the police station in Reading town centre, at around 3.17am saying: “Yeah, hi. Erm. Well I don’t have the words to say it. Erm, erm, I’m currently at the police station.

“Erm, I just really wanna turn myself in. Early today I did erm, something I am starting to regret. Erm.”

When the operator asks what he did earlier Mr Kigundu replies: “Err, I did a bit of arson.”

He said: “To be honest it’s, I just, I think I was just, I don’t know if I had like a mini breakdown but I was just filled with fury.”

Before he could end the call, police officers arrested Mr Kigundu at around 3.24am.

DI Spencer said Mr Kigundu, when interviewed by police claimed he was sorry. He said he did not think of the consequences and was experiencing suicidal thoughts, she added.