Teen accused of killing young man in Sheffield claims he did not tell a girl he had the knife
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Sheffield Crown Court has heard during a trial how twins Isaac and Jacob Mwanza, both aged 19, of Rother View Road, Canklow, Rotherham, had been accused of murdering Isaiah Usen-Satchell who suffered a fatal slash wound to a forearm by a knife in the Norfolk Park area of Sheffield in the early hours of New Year’s Day, 2020 close to his home.
But Judge Peter Kelson QC directed the jury to find both defendants not guilty of murder due to insufficient evidence but Isaac Mwanza still stands accused of manslaughter which he denies after claiming he acted in self-defence and had become involved in a scuffle after Mr Usen-Satchell had jumped out of bushes with the knife.
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Hide AdThe court heard Mr Usen-Satchell died after suffering blood loss.
Isaac Mwanza said one of two girls he had been with on a train in October, last year, asked him what happened but he said he had not wanted to talk about the situation.
He said: “I did not want to talk about the situation.”
Isaac Mwanza added: “I never said I had hold of the knife. I never described the movements between me and Isaiah. I never wanted to talk about it.
"I never said to the girl I had hold of the knife.”
The defendant also previously told the court he never had the knife in his hands during the confrontation.
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Hide AdKama Melly, prosecuting, claimed there had been disputes between Jacob and Isaac Mwanza’s friends and Mr Usen-Stachell’s friends during the evening culminating in them attending Mr Usen-Satchell’s neighbourhood. She added Isaac’s girlfriend had been in a relationship with Mr Usen-Satchell.
But Isaac Mwanza told the court on January 4 he had been helping a friend find a lost phone and had been intending to drive friends home.
He said Mr Usen-Satchell jumped out of bushes but as he stumbled and briefly dropped the knife he and his brother Jacob tried to kick it away before Isaac said he ran after him because he thought Mr Usen-Satchell was pursuing his friends.
Isaac Mwanza added he later turned to see Mr Usen-Satchell coming at him.
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Hide AdThe defendant claimed Mr Usen-Satchell was “swinging the knife” and his brother grabbed the blade to stop him but suffered a stab wound to his thigh so Isaac said he went towards Mr Usen-Satchell to stop him hurting his brother.
Isaac Mwanza claimed he tried to hold Mr Usen-Satchell and he grabbed at the blade and cut his hand and claimed as Jacob tried to help he was “sliced” before a friend intervened and Mr Usen-Satchell fled.
Isaac Mwanza said: “I never once picked up the knife. All I did was hold him down with his shoulders to prevent him hurting my brother.”
He added: "I did not cause that injury at all."
Isaac Mwanza said: “I never had the knife in my hands. I never had the handle. The only thing I touched was the blade.”
The trial continues.
