Fir Vale murder: CCTV captures violence in Sheffield street in which man was fatally stabbed

The ongoing Sheffield Crown Court trial has recently heard how Mentor Selmani, aged 28, of Matcham Road, London; Marsid Senia, 25, of Burnett Street, Bradford; and Mardov Dushku, 30, of Shirecliffe Lane, Sheffield, have all pleaded not guilty to murdering Armend Xhika.

Samuel Green KC, prosecuting, claimed Mr Xhika died after being fatally-stabbed following a confrontation on Earl Marshal Road, Fir Vale, Sheffield, in the evening of May 13, 2021, when a group including the defendants had met another group with Armend Xhika and his three friends who were also allegedly stabbed.

He added that the meeting was arranged after Armend Xhika had been driving a Vauxhall Insignia that had been damaged in a collision with an Audi vehicle occupied by two Albanians earlier on the same day.

Mr Green claimed that during the meeting the defendants’ group chased Armend Xhika’s group and attacked them and he claimed that CCTV footage suggests Armend Xhika was stabbed several times.

The CCTV footage – which was played to the court – showed Mr Xhika arriving in his Vauxhall Insignia, and his friend Fatson Dushku arriving in a BMW, and another friend Durim Dervishanji arriving in a Ford Courier.

Armend Xhika and Fatson Dushku with his passenger Mikael Kanachi could be seen getting out and chatting near the BMW.

Mr Green said Marsid Senia and Mardov Dushku and one of the two suspects who has not been apprehended, Eljaso Cela, pulled up and got out of a Citroen Picasso and walked to the BMW.

The six men by the BMW appeared to be talking before another suspect Maeto Cela - who has not been apprehended - and Mentor Selmani got out of a nearby parked up Vauxhall Vivaro and Mr Selmani went to the other side of the road.

Mr Green told the jury: “There comes a point when the conversation beside the BMW appears to get agitated. Eljaso Cela lunges towards Armend Xhika. Maeto Cela runs to join in and fights with Armend Xhika near the fence.

“Mentor Selmani runs toward the violence. You will decide for yourselves when you watch the footage and hear the evidence but the prosecution suggests that Selmani canbe seen carrying an item in each hand.”

He added: “Eljaso Cela, Mentor Selmani and Marsid Senia chase Mikael Kanachi. Mardov Dushku attacks Fatson Dushku on the ground in the area between the BMW and the Citroen Picasso whilst Maeto Cela and Armend Xhika are still near the fence.

“An item is visible in Selmani’s right hand as he chases Mikael Kanachi. Maeto Cela goes towards Mardov Dushku and Fatson Dushku. Maeto Cela kicks and swipe his hand towards Fatson Dushku as Fatson Dushku continues to struggle with Mardov Dushku. We will see Eljaso Cela with an implement in his right hand as he attacks Armend Xhika.”

Mr Green claimed the footage showed Marsid Senia chasing Durim Dervishanji’s Ford Courier van which got stuck as Mr Dervishanji tried to drive away and Maeto Cela and Mentor Selmani also allegedly approached the van and allegedly attacked Mr Dervishanji using implements and he fled from the van with blood on his face.

He added that Mr Senia and Eljaso Cela allegedly chased Armend Xhika down Rushby Street.

Mr Green told the jury: “A little later you will then see Armend Xhika walking across some grass and collapsing. He gets back up, although we are likely to establish that he had in fact by now been fatally wounded.”

He added that Mr Xhika was helped into his Vauxhall Insignia by his friend Altin Kalemi and he was driven to Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 20:37 hours.

A post mortem examination concluded Mr Xhika suffered a stab wound to the front, left side of his chest, which was approximately 10cm deep.

Mr Green said the pathologist found the cause of death would have been a combination of severe bleeding, probably with damage to the heart and a collapsed lung and that the deceased had died as a result of stab wounds.

He added the prosecution cannot say who administered the fatal stab wound but he claimed the defendants and two others – who have not been apprehended – were jointly responsible for the murder.

Mr Green said three members of Mr Xhika’s group were allegedly assaulted and stabbed during the incident including Durim Dervishanji, Mikael Kanachi and Fatson Dushku.

Following the arrests of the accused, Mentor Selmani and Marsid Senia made no comment, but Senia had previously made a 999 call saying he had been a witness and that other people knives and had fought with each other.

Mardov Dushku told police there had been a meeting to talk about a car accident and he did not know how it ended up in a fight.

He stated a male had made a move towards him so he punched out but he fled and denied carrying a knife and being aware that anyone else had a knife.

Mentor Selmani, Marsid Senia, and Mardov Dushku have all also pleaded not guilty to three counts of wounding with intent against Durim Dervishanji, Mikael Kanachi and Fatson Dushku.

The trial continues.