Man acquitted of murder in acid attack case

A jury has acquitted a defendant of murder and manslaughter in the case of a fatal acid attack on a drug dealer in Plymouth.

Brian Kalemba, 23, from London, is among seven men and two women on trial at Winchester Crown Court over the attack on Danny Cahalane.

Cahalane, 38, was attacked at his home on Lipson Road, Plymouth, on 21 February and died in hospital on 3 May.

Judge Ms Justice Norton told the jury that there was insufficient evidence for them to return a guilty verdict for Kalemba for murder and manslaughter and directed the jury to find Kalemba not guilty of both charges.

The court has heard that Cahalane was attacked over a £120,000 drugs debt to a dealer higher up the chain, Ryan Kennedy, known as Frost.

Kalemba had driven another man, Kelvin Asante, to Plymouth from London, the court was told.

They had arrived on 19 February, but Kalemba left to get a train back to London soon after.

Judge Norton said there was no dispute that Kalemba had left before the attack and directed jurors to return not guilty verdicts on the two charges.

The judge has started legal directions to the jury and the prosecution and defence barristers are expected to sum up their cases in the following days.

Paris Wilson, 35, and Jude Hill, 43, from Plymouth; Abdulrasheed Adedoja, 23, Israel Augustus, 26, Isanah Sungum, 22, and Ramarnee Bakas, 23, all from London, are charged with murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter.

Wilson, Adedoja, Bakas, Augustus, Sungum and Brian Kalemba, 23, from London have also been charged with being part of an organised crime gang, along with Arrone Mukuna, 25, and Jean Mukuna, 23 from London.

Adedoja, Bakas, Wilson, Jean Mukuna and Arrone Mukuna are also charged with attempted kidnapping.

The trial continues.

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