Court

'Brave' Victim Stabbed to Death While Protecting His Niece from Attacker, Murder Trial Hears
Fri 9th Dec 2016, Yellow Advertiser

A BASILDON man was murdered because he tried to defend a young woman from an attack, a jury has been told.

Prosecutor Andrew Jackson said Daniel Mitchell-Monroe was stabbed to death while ‘bravely’ protecting his niece from defendant Joram Bakumanya.

Mr Jackson made the claim as he opened Mr Bakumanya’s murder trial at Chelmsford Crown Court this morning.

Mr Bakumanya, 22, admits stabbing Mr Mitchell-Monroe to death in Basildon town centre on June 28, but is claiming self-defence.

He is representing himself at trial after firing his lawyers yesterday.

Mr Jackson told a panel of eight male and four female jurors that Mr Bakumanya had begun ‘harassing’ Mr Mitchell-Monroe’s 22-year-old niece Armani Lewis in the town centre during the late afternoon of June 28.

Miss Lewis had gone into town with Mr Mitchell-Monroe - who was aged 37 and from Vange - but was shopping alone while he visited a barber shop in Basildon bus station.

As she shopped, said Mr Jackson, Mr Bakumanya approached her and persistently asked for her phone number, becoming langry’ when she refused to give it.

The prosecutor claimed Mr Bakumanya began following Miss Lewis and shouting threats, causing her to call Mr Mitchell-Monroe ‘in fear’ and ask him to come and meet her.

Mr Jackson told the court Mr Mitchell-Monroe had arrived just as Mr Bakumanya was threatening to ‘slap’ Miss Lewis.

"He was going to rescue her from that situation," said Mr Jackson. "As the defendant was about to hit Miss Lewis, Mr Mitchell-Monroe put himself between Miss Lewis and the defendant and he, given what was going on, did something that you may consider was pretty brave and understandable; he punched the defendant. He did that, say the prosecution, to stop the defendant from doing what he was doing."

Mr Jackson said Mr Bakumanya responded by launching an attack on Mr Mitchell-Monroe.

He read a statement by eyewitness Stephen Seager, a sales associate who was walking past at the time of the incident, who described Mr Bakumanya - who is over 6ft - as ‘towering over’ Mr Mitchell-Monroe, who was 5’5".

Mr Jackson said: "The defendant punched Mr Mitchell-Monroe and got the better of him. At one point he was on top of Mr Mitchell-Monroe.

"What he did then was this; from the area of his waistband, at the back of the trousers that he was wearing, he produced a large kitchen knife, and with that kitchen knife, in front of these onlookers and in front of Miss Lewis, he stabbed Mr Mitchell-Monroe three times."

Mr Jackson said the first wound went through Mr Mitchell-Monroe’s arm, the second entered his abdomen and damaged vital organs, and the third cut his aorta - his most vital artery.

The prosecutor said the third wound ‘was delivered by this defendant with severe force’.

"In other words, say the prosecution, he despatched Mr Mitchell-Monroe with considerable efficiency," said Mr Jackson. "He would have died within a few short minutes of those wounds being inflicted."

The prosecutor said Mr Bakumanya fled the scene, dumping the knife and his shirt - but was ‘quickly’ apprehended by police and directed them to the discarded items.

Commenting on Mr Bakumanya’s claim of self-defence, Mr Jackson said the defendant’s actions would have to be shown to be ‘reasonable and proportionate’.

He said: "He knew why Mr Mitchell-Monroe was there. He was there to protect his niece. Mr Mitchell-Monroe, as you know, punched him.

"It could have ended there, of course, and the defendant could have walked off. He chose to attack.

"He chose to attack with punches, quickly got the better of Mr Mitchell-Monroe and, say the prosecution, then pulled out that large knife. He was not acting, certainly then, in reasonable and proportionate defence of himself."

Mr Bakumanya has told the court he does not intend to cross-examine any prosecution witnesses. He is expected to speak in his own defence next week.

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