Boy 'murdered' teenager amid Handsworth versus Aston postcode gang war, court told
Yassin Alama, aged 19, was stabbed to death on Hutton Road, Handsworth on November 16 last year
A boy 'murdered' a teenager amid an ongoing war between neighbouring postcode gangs in Birmingham, a court has heard.
Yassin Alama, aged 19, was stabbed to death by a 'fearsome' zombie knife on Hutton Road, Handsworth, at around 5.20pm on Sunday, November 16 last year.
It is alleged Oumar Traore, then 17 but now 18, inflicted the deadly blow which went straight through the victim's body.
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A jury was told the defendant was a gangster nicknamed 'Omizz' who was part of the 'B20' gang named after the postcode in Handsworth which they claimed as their territory.
The prosecution said he was the younger cousin of a 16-year-old boy killed by a rival gangster in 2022.
It was alleged Traore killed Mr Alama less than two hours after being involved in a confrontation with his 14-year-old brother Mamoun Alama.
The jury was told both Alama brothers were associated with gangs in Aston which rivalled those in Handsworth.
Traore, of Hutton Road, Handsworth, stands trial at Birmingham Crown Court where he denies charges of murder and possessing a knife in public.
Opening the case today (Wednesday) prosecutor Tim Hannam Kc said: "Yassin Alama died in the street on Hutton Road in Handsworth at about 5.20pm on Sunday the 16th of November, last year.
"He was 19 years old. He was killed by this defendant Oumar Traore who was 17 at the time and who is now 18 years old.
"Yassin died as a result of a deep through-and-through stab wound to his abdomen."
He stated the victim also had three deep defensive wounds to his arm and hand before adding: "Oumar Traore had used a fearsome looking black and blue 'zombie' knife to kill him.
"Yassin had himself been armed with an equally large unpleasant weapon and they fought each other on the street on Hutton Road before Oumar Traore inflicted that fatal injury."
The prosecutor told the court Traore was part of the B20 Handsworth gang while the Alamas were associated with rival gangs in the B6 Aston area.
He continued: "Such was the enmity between these gangs you will hear of a history of major violence between them and their affiliates resulting in several unlawful killings and serious injuries in this city since 2019."
The jury was told that 16-year-old Sekou Doucoure, a B20 gangster known as 'SK', was killed by a rival in July 22.
Traore was the victim's younger cousin and was therefore also known as 'Little SK' as well as 'Omizz'.
The court heard in the days prior to Mr Alama's killing his younger brother Mamoun had mocked the death of Sekou and other B20 members to his friends on Snapchat.
"It was either this behaviour or something else that Mamoun had done which must have really annoyed this defendant," said Mr Hannam.
He stated that at 3.40pm on November 16 Traore filmed himself chasing Mamoun around the International Mini Market on Broadway, right on the border of the supposed gang territories.
In his Snapchat footage which was played to the court the defendant could be heard saying 'you said you on man, now you hiding in shops like a kid'.
In-turn it was said Mamoun texted the words 'Omizz', 'International', 'ASAP' to his own group of friends, as well as called up his brother Yassin.
The court was told that Traore left the shop and 'boasted' about the confrontation to his associates.
It was believed he then went home on his bike, via the street where the Alamas lived, before going to a friend's address.
The prosecutor said meanwhile Mamoun gathered with four his own friends but ended up being arrested by police, but not before discarding a large knife which was recovered.
The trial heard that at 4.50pm older sibling Yassin left his address and ended up in Westminster Road, Handsworth, where he 'ran straight into a fight' with a group associated to Traore.
After that altercation concluded he then made his way towards Hutton Road.
It was alleged that Traore was informed about the incident and returned home to 'deliberately arm himself with an enormous knife'.
The prosecutor said the individuals who had just fought with Yassin went driving around the area in a Vauxhall Corsa and a SUV.
Mr Hannam added: "It's the Crown's case Yassin, at this stage, was being hunted."
The trial continues.