Chapeltown Carnival murder trial witness denies being a county lines drug dealer responsible for carrying out fatal stabbing to 'save face'

Teo Sisse Barros also rejected suggestions that he was a county lines drug dealer who carried out the fatal attack on 21-year-old Tcherno Ly as he needed to 'save face'.

Mr Barros gave evidence on the second day of the trial at Leeds Crown Court where Beni Nami, 20, and Hussein Semusu, 21, are on trial accused of murder and possession of an offensive weapon.The prosecution claims Nami stabbed Mr Ly to death two weeks after the men were involved in a fight with each other.

Semusu is alleged to have encouraged Nami to carry out the attack on Chapeltown Road on August 25 last year.

Nami's legal team claim Mr Barros carried out the killing and was exploiting Nami by making him sell drugs for him.

Mr Barros appeared in the witness box behind screens shielding him from the view of the two defendants in the dock.

He described how he was friends with Mr Ly and they had been together at a house before going to the carnival.

Mr Barros said he had seen Mr Ly with a knife before they left the property and he said his friend had told him it was "for protection."

He told the jury how he saw Mr Ly being punched during the incident in which he was killed.

Mr Barros said he later identified Nami as the man who threw the punches when he attended an identity procedure at Elland Road police station.

During cross examination by Nami's barrister, Alistair Webster QC, Mr Barros was asked why he did not initially tell police that Mr Ly had been armed with a knife.

He replied: "They didn't ask if my friend was carrying anything."

When asked to account for the fact that his own DNA was found on Mr Ly's knife, Mr Barros said he touched the knife when he challenged his friend about taking the weapon to the carnival.

He said: "I took the knife out of his hand and said 'what are you doing' and he said 'for my own protection'".

Mr Webster asked Mr Barros if it was true that he had been found hiding in a cupboard at a house in Bracknell, Berkshire, by police in November 2018 when they raided a house as part of a county lines drug dealing operation.

Mr Barros replied: "I don't remember."

The barrister asked Mr Barros to explain why records showed two calls had been made from his phone to Nami's phone within two days of Mr Ly's death.

Mr Barros said he could not recall dialling the number.

He said he knew Nami from playing football and going to parties but said they were not close friends.

During the exchange, Mr Barros said: "Why would I call someone who had killed my friend? It doesn't make sense."

Mr Webster replied: "Unless your involvement is something different from what you are telling us."

The witness said: "If I had killed my friend, do you think I would be here making these statements?"

Mr Webster then asked Mr Barros: "Can I suggest to you that you are involved in county lines as a drug dealer?"

Mr Barros replied: "Never."

The barrister asked: "What I am suggesting is that Mr Nami was one of your runners in your county drug line?"

Mr Barros replied:: "No. Me and Beni never had this talk about drugs."

Mr Webster asked: "I'm suggesting he was supplying them for you that day at the carnival.."

The witness said: "Never. He is lying about that."

Mr Webster asked: "Is it wrong that you were in the house in Bracknell hiding in a cupboard."

Mr Barros replied: "That is completely wrong. I do not recall that.happening.

Mr Barros accepted that he knew there had been trouble between Nami and Mr Ly on a previous occasion.

Mr Webster said: "Did you tell the police about this?"

Mr Barros replied: "They never asked."

The barrister said: "I am going to suggest to you that you were the person who stabbed Tcherno Ly because he was fronting up to one of your boys and you couldn't lose face."

Mr Barros replied: "Me and Beni never had that friendship. We never had that proper, proper type of friendship."

The barrister said: "It wasn't friendship. You were exploiting him. I am suggesting to you that he was your runner."

Mr Barros replied: "Do you have any proof of that? Do you have any text messages?" He added: "Whatever Beni is trying to put in your head is lies."

Mr Webster asked Mr Barros why he had made two phone calls to Nami's phone within two days of Mr Ly's death.

He replied: "I do not recall that happening."

The trial continues