Two teenagers, aged 16 and 17, are currently standing trial for the alleged murder of a 15-year-old boy in a sword attack that occurred in Glasgow. The victim, Amen Teklay, was discovered severely injured on Clarendon Street, Maryhill, on the evening of March 5 last year and tragically passed away at the scene.
According to the murder charge, the two teenage boys, concealing their identities with masks, purportedly assaulted the schoolboy and wielded a frying pan along with a sword or similar weapon at Glenfarg Street and Clarendon Street on the specified day. It is claimed that the accused individuals, whose identities are protected due to their age, pursued Amen and struck him with the sword, resulting in fatal injuries.
Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges, with the 16-year-old asserting a defense of self-defense. Additionally, the 16-year-old faces separate charges related to attempting to conceal evidence and unlawful possession of a blade, specifically a sword or similar implement, at various locations in Glasgow during the relevant period.
Further allegations include the 16-year-old’s involvement in an incident on Great Western Road where he, alongside two others, purportedly assaulted Amen. The trial, overseen by Lord Colbeck at the High Court in Glasgow, commenced with jurors being sworn in on June 18. The presiding judge emphasized the importance of basing verdicts on the presented evidence to the jurors.