‘HUNTED DOWN AND STABBED TO DEATH’
THREE ON TRIAL ACCUSED OF MURDER IN CITY STREET
A TRIAL has started of three men accused of “hunting down” a man on a Leicester estate and stabbing him to death.
Mohammed Jibreel, 21, pictured, was found with a knife wound in his back, in Taylor Road, St Matthew’s, on September 21 last year. He died the next morning.
Abdullahi Botan, 19, of Rainworth Road, North Evington, Ali Mohammed, 20, of Pembroke Street, off Humberstone Road, and Abdourahmaane Sidibe, 21, of Orson Street, Spinney Hills, have all denied a charge of murder.
A fourth man, Regouane Delecolle, 20, of
Withcote Avenue, Rowlatts Hill, denies two counts of assisting an offender, by allegedly helping Mohammed and Sidibe afterwards.
Vanessa Marshall QC, prosecuting, said Mohammed, Botan and Sidibe went “hunting down” Mr Jibreel – though their motive was “unclear”.
She told Leicester Crown Court: “When they caught up with him, Sidibe fatally stabbed Mr Jibreel in his back.”
Mr Jibreel tried to escape by running along Taylor Road, but collapsed near Dysart Way. The trial continues.
THREE men have gone on trial accused of hunting down and murdering a 21-year-old in daylight on a Leicester estate.
Mohammed Jibreel was found with a knife wound in his back, in Taylor Road, St Matthew’s, on September 21 last year. He died the next morning.
Abdullahi Botan, 19, of Rainworth Road, North Evington, Ali Mohammed, 20, of Pembroke Street, off Humberstone Road, and Abdourahmaane Sidibe, 21, of Orson Street, Spinney Hills, have all denied a charge of murder. Sidibe also denied a further charge of possessing a knife in a public place.
A fourth man, Regouane Delecolle, 20, of Withcote Avenue, Rowlatts Hill, is also on trial at Leicester Crown Court.
He denies two counts of assisting an offender, by allegedly helping Mohammed and Sidibe afterwards with transport and clothing, as well as aiding Sidibe to “flee to France”.
Sidible was arrested on an International arrest warrant and brought back to the UK, the jury was told.
Vanessa Marshall QC, prosecuting, said: “Mohammed, Botan and Sidibe are jointly responsible for the murder of Mohammed Jibreel, when together they pursued him in an area of St Matthew’s known locally as the Spine.”
Holding up a large knife which is the alleged murder weapon, she said: “When they caught up with him, Sidibe fatally stabbed Mr Jibreel in his back with this hunting knife.
“The handle was more than likely covered with his sock, in the hope, no doubt, that Sidibe wouldn’t leave any trace of himself on that knife.”
The court heard Mr Jibreel, 21, tried to escape by running along Taylor Road. He collapsed near the junction with Dysart Way and members of the public tended to him before an ambulance arrived.
Ms Marshall alleged the three defendants had been looking for Mr Jibreel.
She said: “The fact only one person uses the knife doesn’t mean the others weren’t participating in the offence.
“If there was a joint plan to kill or cause really serious harm that would be sufficient.” The prosecutor said the motive for the killing was unclear but the likelihood was once Mr Jibreel was “clocked” as being in the area that afternoon, “his card was marked”.
She said: “It wasn’t long before the three defendants were pursuing him down the Spine with a joint intention, which at the very least was to cause really serious harm, if not to kill.”
Mr Jibreel had gone into the city centre in the morning and later met a friend, who was with him at the time of the stabbing – but made off.
Ms Marshall claimed Botan later told the police Mohammed and Sidibe had “an issue” with Mr Jibreel.
But she alleged Botan was willing to support them and they split up into two groups, with three other friends, intent on “hunting down the target”.
The jury was shown CCTV footage of their movements around Humberstone Road and St Matthew’s with all three defendants eventually walking together along Everest Close towards the Spine at 2.55pm.
The prosecutor said: “Unfortunately, there were no cameras within the Spine to show you what happened next.
“What we do know is that by 2.58pm Mr Jibreel is witnessed running along Taylor Road, trailing blood and being pursued, with that large hunting knife that I showed you, in his hand, by a man the prosecution says, is Sidibe.
“Sidibe is no doubt concerned by the number of potential eye-witnesses on the street, finally halts his pursuit and turns around and runs back towards and into the Spine, to make his escape.”
The knife, with a 12-inch blade, was allegedly abandoned nearby.
Ms Marshall said: “Tragically for Mr Jibreel, he did not achieve his escape and reached no further than Dysart Way and, with his hand on his back where he’d been stabbed, staggered and collapsed on a grassy area.”
The trial continues.