Jooda Akanbi on trial for murder as jury shown bats

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Jooda Akanbi’s murder trial was continuing at the Central Criminal Court. The proceedings were reported on 18 April 2015. Detective Garda James Tracey testified on 17 April 2015.

Jooda Akanbi was charged with intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Taiwo Jamani during a fight involving baseball bats on Main Street, Swords, on 10 October 2013. He was also charged with murdering Taiwo Jamani on 13 November 2013, the date of his death in Beaumont Hospital. He pleaded not guilty to both charges. He maintained that his actions were in self-defence.

Detective Garda James Tracey said Jooda Akanbi told him he had been taking a bag from his boot when Taiwo Jamani began assaulting him with his hands. According to the detective, Jooda Akanbi said Taiwo Jamani then took a baseball bat from the boot, and he took another bat and struck Taiwo Jamani over the head. In his second interview, Jooda Akanbi denied striking his head with a bat and said: “I used my hand to hit the baseball bat and the baseball bat he was holding hit him in the head.”

Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis gave the cause of death as blunt-force trauma to the head with severe traumatic brain injury. He described the force required to cause the skull injury as considerable or severe. The jury was shown two baseball bats recovered from the scene. The trial was continuing.