SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A San Francisco jury delivered a guilty verdict on Friday for the murder trial of Clifford Stokes.

Stokes, 39, of Oakland, was found guilty of murdering Ahmed Yusufi in San Francisco’s Mission District in 2021. The jury also convicted Stokes of robbery and shooting into an occupied vehicle.

Yusufi, 31, worked as an Uber driver to support his wife and three young children. Yusufi and his family were refugees from war-torn Afghanistan. He previously served as a language interpreter who helped the U.S. military during the war in Afghanistan.

On the morning of Nov. 28, 2021, Yusufi and his Uber passenger were inside a parked car at the intersection of Potrero Avenue and Cesar Chavez Street.

“Stokes pulled up next to them, exited his car, and then pointed a handgun at Yusufi and the passenger and demanded money. In fear for their lives, each attempted to turn over their property to Stokes,” prosecutors wrote.

Before Yusufi had enough time to hand his wallet over, Stokes fatally shot him, prosecutors said.

“Stokes’ callous, unprovoked killing of an unarmed man during a robbery is heartbreaking,”
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said. “This verdict delivers justice for Mr. Yusufi’s family and a
wake-up call to perpetrators; we as a community reject violence and will ensure that perpetrators face consequences.”

Police arrested Stokes in December of 2021. Prosecutors were able to develop a strong case against Stokes based on the careful investigation work performed by the San Francisco Police Department’s homicide detectives.

Lead prosecutor Ryan King said, “While nothing can bring Ahmad Yusufi back to his family, I
hope that this verdict brings them a sense of closure and justice.”

Stokes has been in custody since his arrest on December 16, 2021. He faces 50 years to life in
prison.