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Letchworth Lodger Denies Murder
Tuesday, February 9th 2010 06:59
St Alban's Crown Court has heard how a row over cleaning the bathroom ended in a stabbing.
A lodger stabbed to death another man at the house where they lived after being asked to keep the bathroom clean.
Emmanuel Igwegby, 41, stabbed Antonio Samuels with a kitchen knife 45 times during the attack.
Today/Monday, a court heard Mr Samuels, 48, managed to flee from the house in Letchworth, Herts., only to be chased outside by Mr Igwegby and repeatedly stabbed as he lay in a parking bay.
Witnesses who saw the "brutal" attack were said to have been "stunned and traumatised."
At St Albans Crown Court today, Mr Igwegby pleaded not guilty at the start of his trial to the murder of Mr Samuels on April 24 last year.
Ann Evans, prosecuting, told the court: "Antonio Samuels was brutally stabbed to death by the defendant outside the house they shared. It was in broad daylight and neighbours were absolutely stunned and traumatised."
The prosecutor then told the court the trial was not about whether the defendant had caused the death of Mr Samuels, which he had admitted.
Instead, she said, the issue for the jury was whether what he did that day amounted to murder or had a mental abnormality he was suffering from substantially impaired his responsibility. If that was the case, the court was told Mr Igwegby should be found guilty of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
Outlining the prosecution's case, Miss Evans said that in August 07 the defendant had moved into a house in Parkfield, Letchworth.
Living there was another man and Mr Samuels.
Mrs Evans said the property was owned by the deceased's sister Maria Samuels.
Igwegby was paying £280 a month rent but, by the end of 2008, the deceased's sister had other plans for the property and wanted him and the other tenant out.
Mr Igwegby had received a letter from her saying he had to be out by March 2 of last year but, by April of last year, the tenants, along with the deceased, were still living in the property.
Mr Igwegby, who did casual work with an agency, had frequent rows with Mr Samuels.
They argued about gas or electricity and the defendant would be annoyed when gas and electricity ran out.
Mrs Evans said he was also concerned that Mr Samuels and his girlfriend had been taking property from his room.
The court heard the defendant, who had a child by a wife living in Germany, was involved with Social Services locally concerning custody of his son.
The jury then heard how the day before the alleged murder, the defendant complained of feeling unwell and, after walking into Letchworth Town Centre, phoned for an ambulance.
He was treated at The Lister Hospital that day and later discharged after a doctor who examined him described him as "polite and courteous."
The next morning, however, Mr Igwegby again complained of not feeling well.
Mrs Evans said that as he was speaking to another tenant, Mr Samuels was standing behind them vacuuming.
"Mr Samuels reminded both men to clean the bath after they had used it and he went back downstairs" said the prosecutor.
Moments later she said there was the sound of a commotion in the house and the tenant Mr Igwegby had been talking to earlier heard Mr Samuels calling out "Don't do this."
She said the man then ran downstairs.
He went downstairs and saw Mr Samuels lying on his back on the floor.
She said the defendant was over him holding a kitchen knife, with a blade 8-9" in length, and Mr Samuels' arms were up as he tried to defend himself.
She said the tenant saw Mr Igwegby then stab Mr Samuels a number of times.
The court was told the man tried to intervene, only to receive cut wounds himself.
He shouted to Mr Samuels to run and both managed to get out of the house.
However, having gone out of the rear of the house, Mr Samuels was again attacked by the defendant.
Mrs Evans said Mr Samuels ended up lying on the ground in a parking bay.
She went on: "Mr Igwegby was standing over him stabbing him."
She said other witnesses saw the defendant "repeadedly stab" Mr Samuels as he lay on the ground.
The court heard the defendant then left the scene and went back inside the house.
Paramedics rushed to the spot and pronounced Mr Samuels dead at 11.13 am.
Inside the house, Mr Igwegby had barricaded himself in his room and armed police arrived and forced entry into the house.
The court heard they repeatedly knocked on his bedroom door and he eventually opened the door and let them in.
It was discovered Mr Igwegby had a number of self inflicted wounds and he remained in hospital until April 26.
"The crown says that what Mr Igwegby did to Mr Samuels amounts to murder."
She went on: "By his actions he intended at the very least to cause Mr Samuels serious bodily harm when he stabbed him."
She said it was not a random attack but targetted at a man with whom he had fallen out in the past.
"It's clear the object of his hostility was Mr Samuels as he chased him outside, having started the attack inside."
She said afterwards it was clear the defendant had known that what he had done was wrong by returning to his room and barricading himself inside.
Case proceeding.
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