Man fatally stabbed in row over small debt and stolen scooter, murder trial told

A 25-year-old man was fatally stabbed in the neck in Tallaght, Dublin nearly two years ago in a row over a small debt and a stolen scooter, a prosecution barrister has told a murder trial.

The 12 jurors were also told by the State that it is the accused’s position that he was in possession of a knife for self-defence and that having initially walked away from the altercation, he returned to protect his father, who sustained a stab type injury to the eye.

John Titiloye (28), with an address at Mac Uilliam Crescent, Fortunestown, Tallaght, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Ademola Giwa (25) in the Mac Uilliam Road area on August 10th, 2021. 

In his opening address to the Central Criminal Court jury, prosecuting counsel John Byrne SC said Mr Giwa was nicknamed ‘Dizzy’. He said Mr Titiloye and Mr Giwa had been friends at one stage, having gone to school together and grown-up on the same street.

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Mr Byrne said that a man named Samson Fayemi owed a small bit of money to the accused and it had become “a source of tension” between them. He said Mr Fayemi’s scooter was forcibly taken by a number of men including Mr Titiloye “to settle the debt” on the day prior to the killing at Marlfield Estate in Tallaght.

Mr Byrne said Mr Fayemi’s bunch of keys for his scooter were also taken by the men, which included his house keys.

Counsel said that Mr Fayemi will give evidence in the trial that following the taking of his scooter by the men he called to Mr Giwa to tell him what had happened.

In relation to the evidence against the accused, Mr Byrne said that a knife was purchased by Mr Titiloye in an angling and shooting shop in Lucan on the afternoon of August 10th.

Confront

Detailing the evidence that will be heard, Mr Byrne said Mr Fayemi and Mr Giwa called to Mr Titiloye’s home at Mac Uilliam Crescent at 6.45pm on August 10th.

“The purpose of the visit was to confront Mr Titiloye about the taking of Samson’s scooter the previous day,” he added.

The accused was in his house when the two men arrived.

The prosecution barrister told the court that the accused then left his home and the three men walked around the corner to Mac Uilliam Road, where a verbal row occurred between the three quickly developed into a physical altercation. Mr Byrne said the evidence will be that Mr Titiloye’s father, Anthony, involved himself in the altercation.

The barrister said it is the State’s case that in the course of the argument Mr Titiloye produced a knife and stabbed Mr Giwa in the neck, which was the primary injury. The jury heard that the deceased also received a minor injury to his arm.

Mr Byrne said the evidence will be that the accused’s father sustained an injury to his face. Counsel said it was “a cut type or stab type injury to the left eye” which required treatment in hospital.

Mr Byrne said the accused left the scene after “the events on the road”, which were witnessed by a number of individuals in the vicinity, some of whom had recorded it on their mobile phones. He said there was CCTV and mobile phone footage of the incident.

No contributory factors

Counsel told the jury that medical assistance was provided to Mr Giwa and further attempts were made to resuscitate him after he was transferred to Tallaght Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8.20pm on August 10th. He said the court will hear that pathologist Dr SallyAnne Collis recorded Mr Giwa’s cause of death as a stab wound to the neck with no other contributory factors.

Mr Titiloye was arrested the following day on suspicion of the murder of Mr Giwa and detained at Tallaght Garda station.

Mr Byrne said the prosecution case against Mr Titiloye is that he made certain admissions linking himself to events.

“His position was that he was in possession of a knife for self defence and having initially walked away he returned to protect his father,” he said.

Counsel said the knife used by the accused was not retrieved and no weapons of any description were found. However, an identical knife to the one which Mr Titiloye had purchased from the shop in Lucan was obtained by gardaí.

The barrister further stated that there is forensic evidence in the case such as Mr Titiloye’s clothing, which the prosecution say links the accused to events at Mac Uilliam Road on August 10th.

The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of six men and six women. It is expected to last two weeks.