Ramey Salem murder trial: Three Sheffield men allegedly linked to drugs and guns deny murder after shooting

A Sheffield Crown Court trial heard on May 9 how Jabari Fanty, Aaron Yanbak and Ricardo Nkanyezi have all been accused of murdering 20-year-old Ramey Salem at a flat on Grimesthorpe Road South, Burngreave, Sheffield, on November 16, 2020.

Stephen Wood QC, prosecuting, also claimed Fanty, Yanbak and another defendant, Jordan Foote, were involved in the attempted murder of Ali al-Humakaini a month earlier after he was shot at Osgathorpe Park, Burngreave, Sheffield, on October 31, 2020.

Mr Wood told the jury: “As you will come to see, that the prosecution say, this is a case all about guns and gangs.

“It is also a case about drug dealing and the immense profits to be made from that trade.

“It is a case we suggest about the ruthless lengths gangs will go to in order to protect their turf including, as we will see in this case, the attempted murder of a man and ultimately the murder of a man by shooting.”

Mr Wood said Ramey Salem was shot at a flat on Grimesthorpe Road South and was driven to the Northern General Hospital in a Toyota Corolla by another man but despite efforts to save his life he was pronounced dead soon afterwards.

A pathologist found Mr Salem had sustained multiple gun-shot wounds to the heart, lungs and liver and the injury to his heart would have been sufficient to cause death.

Mr Wood said a ballistics expert suggested Mr Salem was shot at least five times, with two shots fired in the lounge before he had fled into the hallway and bathroom where further shots were fired.

He added the expert believes the recovered cartridges revealed there were most likely two firearms involved and they were possibly converted from blank-firing pistols.

Mr Wood claimed ballistics from the the gun fired in the lounge indicated this weapon had also been used during the attempted murder of Ali al-Humakaini.

Police found a VW Golf vehicle on October 31, 2020, after it had been abandoned at Burngreave Cemetery and torched following the attempted murder of Ali al-Humakaini, according to Mr Wood.

Mr Wood said Mr al-Humakaini made a 999 call saying he had been shot five times and he was found by police on a path and required emergency surgery.

Mr al-Humakaini said he had approached three males after he had thought they were lighting fireworks before a gun was fired at him.

Mr Wood claimed the same gun was used in a shooting on November 2, 2020, in Rotherham, after Yanbak and Nkanyezi had allegedly been pursued by a 4x4 vehicle.

The ballistics from the second gun was also linked it to a firearms incident on October 19, 2020, at Longley Avenue West, Shirecliffe, involving the occupant of a VW Golf shooting at the occupants of a Seat Leon car.

Mr Wood said: “The prosecution say that these defendants were members of a gang operating in the Longley, Burngreave and Pitsmoor areas of Sheffield.”

Foote also allegedly fled from a stolen BMW car with others at Walkley Street, Sheffield, during another incident, according to Mr Wood, before officers recovered a handgun, drugs and cash in the vehicle.

Police also found alleged drug dealing paraphernalia at Foote’s home and the handgun linked to the BMW was examined and possible DNA matches were found linked to Fanty and another man.

Following Fanty’s arrest, Mr Wood said he was allegedly found to have a knife, two mobile phones a ballistic vest, a baton, masks, scales with traces of drugs and Nike trainers said to match a footprint from the murder scene.

Mr Wood said when Yanbak was arrested a firearms magazine was allegedly recovered and gunshot residue was found on his clothing, and Nkanyezi was allegedly found with a bag with drugs and a gun in a rucksack.

Fanty, aged 19, of Broadhead Road, Stocksbridge, Sheffield; Yanbak, 20, of Abbeydale Road, Abbeydale, Sheffield; and Nkanyezi, 20, of Morgan Avenue, Parson Cross, Sheffield, have all pleaded not guilty to murder.

Foote, 20, of Basegreen Road, Basegreen, Sheffield; Fanty and Yanbak have all pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Ali al-Humakaini.

Fanty, Yanbak, Nkanyezi and Foote have all pleaded not guilty to conspiring to possess firearms with intent to endanger life, not guilty to conspiring to possess ammunition with intent to endanger life, and not guilty to conspiring to supply class A drugs.

Fanty has also pleaded not guilty to possessing a bladed article and Nkanyezi has also pleaded not guilty to possessing a firearm.

The trial continues.