Man on trial for murder says he feared for his life

A man has told his murder trial he was afraid for his life when he hit another man on the head with a baseball bat.

The trial has heard the charge against him arose out of a fight between two men on October 10, 2013, on Main St, Swords, Co Dublin. One of the men died in hospital a month later due to a severe, traumatic brain injury.

Jooda Akanbi, aged 39, is charged with murdering 45-year-old Taiwo Jamani, aged 45, on November 13, 2013, the date of his death in Beaumont Hospital.

He was also charged with intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to his fellow Nigerian on October 10, 2013.

Mr Akanbi of Ashton Avenue, Applewood in Swords, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to both charges. He said his actions were in self-defence.

However, Mr Justice Tony Hunt told the jury yesterday that the second count, the allegation of a non-fatal offence, would be struck from the issue paper it would receive.

“It’s there on a precautionary basis in case there was an issue about causation of death,” he said, adding that there was now no such issue in the case. “The death was caused by the reactions of the accused,” he said.

The prosecution closed its case and the defence called Mr Akanbi to the witness box. He said he had fallen out with the deceased months before the fight in Swords.

He claimed the deceased had shown him how to make money fraudulently with cheques and that he had also offered to sell him land in Nigeria.

He testified that he didn’t want to involve himself with the cheques and learned that there was no land.

The trial continues.

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