A crack seller in conflict with one of his clients allegedly took revenge by killing the latter’s father with a baseball bat while he was sleeping in his living room in September 2021.
“The only image that you will be able to see is that Akong Yves Fonbah intentionally caused the death of Georges Riches and that he premeditated his action,” Me Simon Lapierre Thursday morning at the Montreal courthouse.
Fonbah, 30, had minutes earlier pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder of the 75-year-old man.
This is because the accused, a crack seller, was allegedly in conflict with one of his clients, Kenneth Riches. This is the victim’s son.
Kenneth “Kenny” Riches owed the defendant money. The morning of the murder, he had called Fonbah to obtain drugs, which he was refused, it was mentioned in the Crown’s opening statement.
“The victim’s son will explain to you, with his expressions and his background, […] that he went to steal the accused’s television and sold it for $40 in order to buy crack,” explained Me Lapierre, who teams up with Me Philippe Vallières-Roland for the public prosecutor.
Several acrimonious calls then allegedly took place between the accused and the victim’s son.
“As part of these calls, the accused told him that he was going to kill him and kill his father,” said M.e Stone.
Killed at home
The Crown prosecutor said Fonbah “went to the scene to carry out his threat.”
Indeed, the accused allegedly entered the apartment located on rue Jean-Milot, in Lasalle, and hit Georges Riches with a baseball bat while he was sleeping on the couch.
Georges Riches was on this sofa when he was hit with a baseball bat.
Photo courtesy of the court
The victim’s son then came out of his room, where he was using drugs with friends, and made the tragic discovery of his father, according to the Crown. He immediately called 911.
He then allegedly saw the accused, nicknamed “Ocho”, with a baseball bat smashing the patio door of the accommodation.
The window of the patio door of Georges Riches’ apartment was completely shattered.
Photo courtesy of the court
Kenneth Riches allegedly managed to force the accused out of the apartment by threatening him with a knife.
Mr. Riches was finally pronounced dead in hospital a few days later following very severe craniocerebral trauma, a pathologist will testify in the coming days.
Another crack user then went to take the weapon to the police at his neighborhood station more than a month after the murder.
No fingerprints were found on the stick, said Detective Sergeant Carl Benson, who was a crime scene technician at the time. The jury was, however, able to observe pieces of glass which became embedded in the stick when it was exhibited in the court room.
The trial presided over by Judge Éliane B. Perreault will continue in the coming weeks.
Akong Yves Fonbah is represented by Mare Steven Amormino and Carine Njonang.