A 25-year-old man was stabbed to death in a row over a debt and a stolen scooter, the Central Criminal Court heard today.
John Titiloye, of Mac Uilliam Crescent, Fortunestown, Tallaght, Dublin 24, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ademola Giwa in Tallaght almost two years ago.
Mr Giwa, whose nickname was 'Dizzy', was a friend of the man accused of his murder.
They grew up in the same street and went to school together.
The court was told today that another man, Samson Fayemi, owed Mr Titiloye money and the debt became a source of tension.
On 9 August 2021, the day before the murder, Mr Titiloye and a group of men confronted Mr Fayemi and took his scooter and keys from him. The keys included his house keys.
Mr Fayemi called Mr Giwa and, at around 6.45pm the following evening, the two men called to Mr Titiloye’s house at Mc Uilliam Crescent.
Mr Titiloye had bought a knife earlier that day at an angling and shooting shop in Lucan.
All three walked around the corner and a verbal row broke out, which became physical.
Senior counsel John Byrne told the jury in his opening statement, that Mr Titiloye produced a knife during the row and stabbed Mr Giwa in the neck.
He was taken to hospital but pronounced dead there.
Mr Titiloye left the scene, but the court heard his father Anthony had also gotten involved in the row and sustained a stab injury to his left eye.
The following day, 11 August 2021, Mr Titiloye was arrested on suspicion of murder.
The prosecution said he made certain admissions linking him to the events, that his position was that he had the knife for self-defence and that he had initially walked away, but returned to protect his father.
Neither the knife nor any other weapons were recovered, but the prosecution said a knife identical to the one purchased by Mr Titiloye has been obtained by gardaí and that DNA and forensic evidence from the examination of his clothing linked the 28-year-old to the murder.
Mr Titiloye has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Giwa.
The trial continues this afternoon.
