Teenager Oumar Traore Convicted of Murdering Yassin Alama in Birmingham

A teenager has been convicted of murdering 19-year-old Yassin Alama after fatally stabbing him in Birmingham.

Birmingham Crown Court heard Oumar Traore armed himself with a large knife before confronting the 19-year-old in the street.

Jurors were told the confrontation on Hutton Road, Handsworth, formed part of an ongoing dispute between groups associated with different areas of north Birmingham, including Aston and Handsworth, which had been fuelled by insults and challenges exchanged on social media.

The court heard Traore had earlier been involved in an incident in which he chased Mr Alama’s younger brother around a shop in Aston. CCTV showed him filming the encounter and later posting about it online.

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Messages recovered by police showed the earlier incident quickly circulated among associates, with discussions about knives taking place in anticipation of retaliation.

Later that afternoon, Mr Alama was seen on CCTV entering a nearby street and confronting a group linked to Traore’s associates, while carrying a large knife.

Traore was not present during that initial confrontation. After being told about it, he returned home, collected a large knife and went back into the area.

CCTV then showed him leaving his address and encountering Mr Alama within seconds.

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Both men are then seen producing knives in the street before engaging in a brief fight. Traore stabbed Mr Alama once to the abdomen. The injury proved fatal.

Mr Alama collapsed nearby and died at the scene.

After the stabbing, Traore left the area and began moving between addresses.

Within minutes, he posted online material showing a bloodstained knife and messages in which he appeared to boast about what had happened.

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The court heard he later disposed of the knife, his phone and clothing at an associate’s address in Gordon Road, and arrangements were made for further items to be removed.

Traore then evaded police for around a week, travelling between locations with assistance from his friend Oliver Gabis, who arranged transport and accommodation.

Gabis later admitted helping Traore avoid arrest and pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.

Traore was eventually located at an address in Birmingham and arrested. Officers recovered multiple knives during searches, including one bearing his fingerprints.

Prosecutors also relied on evidence said to show Traore’s association with a wider culture of knife carrying and trading in large blades, including machetes and so-called “zombie knives”.

During interview, Traore admitted stabbing Mr Alama but claimed he acted in self-defence. He refused to answer further questions.

He did not give evidence at trial. The jury rejected his account and convicted him of murder.

Detective Inspector Michelle Cordell said the investigation showed how quickly disputes could escalate when weapons were involved and how difficult it was to undo the consequences once knives were carried.

She said Traore had chosen to arm himself, confront Mr Alama and then attempt to evade arrest.

Sentence will be passed at a later date.