Kevin Pokuta: Two defendants cleared of Sheffield murder as judge rules 'no case to answer'

The prosecution at Sheffield Crown Court today (October 22) ended its case over the fatal shooting of father-of-two Kevin Pokuta on December 11, 2023.

Three men were charged with his murder.

However, the jury did not hear evidence on Monday and much of Tuesday while the judge, Mr Justice Lavender, heard legal arguments from defence barristers for the accused.

Today the judge formally found two men in the dock - Lester Ramsey, aged 25, and Leon Waite, 26, both of no fixed address - not guilty of murder as there is “no case to answer”.

They were cleared of three other charges of attempted murder, attempted grievous bodily harm and a count of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

They are still charged with conspiracy to rob and two other counts of possessing a firearm.

It leaves Jake Brown, 23, of Horninglow Road, Firth Park, charged with murder and all the above counts.

Adam Mulligan, 33, formerly of Catcliffe, Rotherham and a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named, are also defendants in the case, charged with conspiracy to rob. The teenager is also charged with possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

It is alleged the fatal shooting was a botched “revenge” attack after the defendants were reportedly involved in an attempted robbery of an illegal cannabis farm, which went awry when those growing it tried to defend it.

The prosecution’s case is that Jake Brown later mistook a silver Skoda on Page Hall Road for a VW Passat that was connected to the cannabis growers, and fired “four to five shots” into the vehicle.

However, the people sat in the car were Kevin Pokuta and his 17-year-old brother Dominik, who had nothing to do with the incident at all. Kevin was shot in the head and died in hospital the next day.

At the beginning of the defence case today, Brown, Ramsey and Waite did not take to the stand to give evidence.

Mulligan denied any involvement or knowledge in the alleged robbery at the cannabis farm.

The prosecution’s case is Mulligan’s van was used in the robbery for transportation.

However, he claims he was only in the area in his white transit van on business for his pet food delivery company.

The trial continues.