Jurors to try fatal city stabbing case ‘on the evidence’
JURORS have heard all the evidence in the trial of a man accused of stabbing a 21-year-old to death in Cardiff city centre.
On day 11 of the trial at Newport Crown Court, Mr Justice Griffiths told the jury they must try the case on the evidence – and not guess or speculate.
In his legal directions, the judge told the jury: “You should put emotion aside and take a fair, careful and reasoned approach.”
Asim Khan, from Grangetown, was 21 when he died after being stabbed on St Mary Street at around 4.50am on July 21 last year.
Momodoulamin Saine, 28, from Bishopston Road in Ely, denies murdering him on the grounds he was acting in lawful self-defence.
Asim Khan’s brother Hamza Khan, 24, from Corporation Road in Grangetown, denies attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent to Saine.
The court heard Hamza Khan knocked Saine’s drink over while they were at Soda bar on Mill Lane.
During her closing speech, prosecutor Caroline Rees QC said: “That was the spark which ignited the fire which burnt out of control four hours later when Asim Khan was stabbed to death.”
Ms Rees suggested Saine and Hamza Khan were both “fuelled by anger” and “guilty of serious violence”.
She suggested Saine was “goading” the Khan brothers, adding: “The only reason for behaving in that way is to pick a fight.”
Ms Rees said Momooulamin Saine returned to the scene of the confrontation on St Mary Street.
She said: “This is evidence that clearly demonstrates he was intent on returning, with a knife stashed in his trousers, to confront the Khan brothers and increase the temperature of this falling-out even further.”
Saine says he went back to St Mary Street because he had lost his keys.
Ms Rees added: “It is Asim Khan who throws the first punch once Mr Saine has gone down.
“That is an unlawful attack by two men on to one man, who is on the floor.”
She told the jury they must not decide the case on sympathy, hostility or any other emotion.
“You decide this case on evidence,” she added.
David Elias QC, for Saine, said: “He has never sought to blame anything he did on that night on mental illness. He has always said the same thing – ‘I did it. I pulled that knife out because I had to. I had to because of the attack I was under.’
“That knife was not produced at all until he was on the floor being kicked to the head.”
Christopher Rees, for Hamza Khan, said his client was harassed and racially abused by Saine in the run-up to the stabbing.
He added: “Of course he was traumatised.
“It was a shocking and bewildering series of events. Something you would not wish upon your worst enemy.”
The trial continues.