Neo Graham murder trial: 'Cocky' suspected Wolverhampton shooter was carrying around gun without bullets, jury told
The man suspected of shooting dead Neo Graham became 'cocky' after obtaining a gun which had no bullets in, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.
The 24-year-old drive-by shooting victim was talking to another man in Eastfield Road off Old Heath Road in Eastfields, Wolverhampton, on March 4 last year when a bullet struck him in the head. Following the incident suspected gunman Israel Mey fled the country. He has never been arrested.
Giving evidence on the witness stand this week, a defendant in the case, Koketso Ximba, aged 23, of Montano Drive, Low Hill, told the jury he had known Mey for many years and that he was a drug dealer.
Ximba said: "At the time he had a gun in his pouch bag and he showed it to me. He opened it and there was clearly no bullets in the gun chamber. I thought he'd got it because he was doing good with his drugs business and thought nobody would dare rob him when he was out dealing. He was changing and got cocky.
"I've known Israel for about eight years. I didn't know he had an aggressive side."
He said Mey was planning to rob another drug dealer called 'Demari' who was "doing well" and planned to use the gun to "catch him slipping".
Ximba and four others are standing trial in relation to Mr Graham's death. He had been standing on the pavement shortly before 3.20pm on March 4 last year when he was shot at by people in a passing red Renault Clio, which was later found gutted by fire in Yarwell Close off Cannock Road near Heath Town.
The jury previously heard Ximba was driving the stolen Clio while Mey, who is suspected of firing the Glock 9mm pistol at the victim, was in the front passenger seat. The jury also heard how afterwards the pair later made their way to Scotland then to Belfast by ferry before splitting up. May, who remains at large, caught a flight to the Netherlands while Ximba was arrested in Liverpool on his return.
Their movements at the relevant locations across the UK were captured on camera and the footage along with various photographs of them were shown in court.
The prosecution alleges that Ximba; Deric Da Silva Ferreria, aged 20, of Fifth Avenue, Low Hill; and Fabio Bandarrinha, aged 21, of Powell Street, Park Village, all Wolverhampton, were responsible for murdering Neo Graham which all three deny. Aaron Osei, aged 23, of South Road, Birmingham; and Elie Mey, aged 25, of Inkerman Street, also Wolverhampton, deny assisting an offender.
All deny possessing a firearm; possessing of ammunition without a firearms certificate and possessing a controlled drug with intent to supply and possession of criminal property relating to cash.
The trial continues.