Twin brothers acquitted of murder and manslaughter after man's death from a knife wound in Sheffield
and live on Freeview channel 276
Sheffield Crown Court has heard during a four-week 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 in the Norfolk Park area of Sheffield in the early hours of New Year’s Day, 2020 close to his home.
However, Judge Peter Kelson QC directed the jury before Christmas to find both defendants not guilty of murder and to find Jacob not guilty of manslaughter due to insufficient evidence but after Isaac had still stood accused of manslaughter the judge further directed the jury on January 6 to also acquit Isaac of manslaughter.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe court heard the Crown Prosecution Service’s position had been reviewed and they offered no further evidence and the jury was directed to return a not guilty verdict to manslaughter for Isaac Mwanza because of the difficulties with the evidence in establishing exactly what happened before Mr Usen-Satchell’s death.
Kama Melly, prosecuting, previously told the trial Isaac’s girlfriend had once been in a brief relationship with Mr Usen-Satchell and Ms Melly claimed there had been disputes between Jacob and Isaac’s friends and Mr Usen-Stachell’s friends during the evening in question culminating in them attending Mr Usen-Satchell’s neighbourhood.
Isaac claimed Mr Usen-Satchell had jumped out of bushes with the knife and Isaac said he and his brother tried to kick the weapon away when it was briefly dropped.
Isaac added he initially ran after Mr Usen-Satchell because he thought his friends were being pursued and he claimed he later turned to see Mr Usen-Satchell coming at him.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdHe also 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 claimed he tried to hold Mr Usen-Satchell and grabbed at the blade and cut his hand before a friend intervened and Mr Usen-Satchell fled.
The court heard Mr Usen-Satchell died after suffering blood loss.
Isaac and Jacob Mwanza denied committing murder and claimed they had acted in self-defence and had become involved in the confrontation with Mr Usen-Satchell after he had jumped out of bushes with the knife.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdIsaac Mwanza had told the jury: “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 said: “I never had the knife in my hands. I never had the handle. The only thing I touched was the blade.”
He also denied that while he was on a train in October that he had told a girl he had hold of the knife.
Judge Kelson told the court it was right the case had been brought to seek justice for Mr Usen-Satchell’s death but he said there was growing concern about the evidence and the difficulty this posed in establishing exactly what happened before the death.
