Twin brothers cleared of murdering Sheffield teenager due to 'lack of evidence'

Isaiah Usen-Satchell died on New Year’s Day this year after his arm was slashed in an altercation near his home in the Arbourthorne area of the city.

On Wednesday, December 23, the jury at Sheffield Crown Court was directed by Judge Peter Kelson QC to find Isaac and Jacob Mwanza not guilty of his murder due to insufficient evidence.

During the trial, which was expected to conclude before Christmas, the court heard that the 18-year-old had suffered a deep cut to his forearm during the incident and had collapsed shortly afterwards at around 4am on January 1, 2020.

The twins also pleaded not guilty to Manslaughter charges, and the judge instructed the jury that there was also insufficient evidence to find Jacob Mwanza guilty of the lesser offence.

The jury will now return on Tuesday, January 4, to consider manslaughter charges against Isaac Mwanza.

The court had previously heard that tensions had been running high for a number of months prior to Mr Usen-Satchell’s death after Isaac Mwanza had entered into a relationship with someone who the Sheffield Teenager had previously dated, and the pair had exchanged abusive messages.

The pair had met in the Viper Rooms on New Year’s Eve and squared up, before one of them was asked to leave, and had exchanged messages throughout the night about meeting up.

A number of altercations had occurred throughout the early hours of the morning, including an altercation in Rockingham Street at around 1am.

CCTV footage played to the court showed the pair approaching Mr Usen-Satchell’s home around half an hour later, with Jacob Mwanza carrying a ‘long, silver object’.

The victim was also caught on camera causing damage to an Audi vehicle, and the twins were seen twice approaching Mr Usen-Satchell’s home at around 4am with a group of friends.

The court was told that Mr User-Satchell then left his house and hid in a bush after trying to contact his father and associates, and jumped out at the brothers and their friends, shouting: “What you lot saying?”

He then ran at the group, which scattered, before falling over, and CCTV footage then showed the twins chasing after him, with Isaac Mwanza then getting hold of a knife and causing a deep cut to Mr Usen-Satchell’s forearm, severing an artery, and he collapsed a few metres away.

An ambulance was called by a passer-by at around 4.20am and Mr Usen-Satchell was taken to hospital along with the twins.

The court heard that, when he was arrested, Isaac Mwanza asked the police officer whether he could “go down” if he had acted in self-defence.

The officer had written his comments in his notebook, but the defendant had refused to sign it when asked to do so.

The brothers, both 19, of Rother View Road, Canklow, Rotherham, both claim they were acting in self defence, the court heard.

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