A teenage boy allegedly murdered a 19-year-old amid an ongoing conflict between rival postcode gangs in Birmingham, a court has heard.
Yassin Alama was fatally stabbed with a 'fearsome' zombie knife on Hutton Road, Handsworth, at around 5.20pm on Sunday, November 16, 2025.
Prosecutors allege Oumar Traore, now 18 but 17 at the time, inflicted the fatal blow that passed straight through the victim's body.
Gang rivalry
The jury was told the defendant, known by the nickname 'Omizz', was a member of the 'B20' gang, which claims the Handsworth postcode as its territory.
Traore is the younger cousin of a 16-year-old boy killed by a rival gangster in 2022, the court heard.
It is alleged that Traore killed Mr Alama less than two hours after a confrontation with the victim's 14-year-old brother, Mamoun Alama.
Prosecution case
Opening the case, prosecutor Tim Hannam KC said: 'Yassin Alama died in the street on Hutton Road in Handsworth at about 5.20pm on Sunday, November 16, last year. He was 19 years old. He was killed by this defendant Oumar Traore who was 17 at the time and who is now 18 years old.'
Mr Hannam stated the victim suffered a deep through-and-through stab wound to his abdomen, as well as three defensive wounds to his arm and hand.
'Oumar Traore had used a fearsome looking black and blue 'zombie' knife to kill him,' he added.
The prosecutor said Mr Alama was himself armed with a similarly large weapon, and the two fought on the street before the fatal injury was inflicted.
History of violence
The court heard that Traore was part of the B20 Handsworth gang, while the Alama brothers were associated with rival gangs in the B6 Aston area.
'Such was the enmity between these gangs you will hear of a history of major violence between them and their affiliates resulting in several unlawful killings and serious injuries in this city since 2019,' Mr Hannam said.
The jury was told that 16-year-old Sekou Doucoure, a B20 gangster known as 'SK', was killed by a rival in July 2022. Traore, the victim's younger cousin, was known as 'Little SK' as well as 'Omizz'.
Events leading to the killing
In the days before Mr Alama's death, his younger brother Mamoun had mocked the deaths of Sekou and other B20 members on Snapchat, the court heard.
'It was either this behaviour or something else that Mamoun had done which must have really annoyed this defendant,' said Mr Hannam.
At 3.40pm on November 16, Traore filmed himself chasing Mamoun around the International Mini Market on Broadway, on the border of the gang territories. In the footage, the defendant could be heard saying: 'You said you on man, now you hiding in shops like a kid.'
Mamoun then texted 'Omizz', 'International', and 'ASAP' to his friends, and called his brother Yassin.
Traore left the shop and boasted about the confrontation, then went home on his bike, passing the Alamas' street, before going to a friend's address.
Meanwhile, Mamoun gathered with four friends but was arrested by police, discarding a large knife that was recovered.
The fatal confrontation
At 4.50pm, Yassin Alama left his home and ended up in Westminster Road, Handsworth, where he 'ran straight into a fight' with a group associated with Traore.
After that altercation, he made his way towards Hutton Road. It is alleged that Traore was informed of the incident and returned home to 'deliberately arm himself with an enormous knife'.
The prosecutor said individuals who had just fought with Yassin then drove around the area in a Vauxhall Corsa and an SUV.
'It's the Crown's case Yassin, at this stage, was being hunted,' Mr Hannam added.
The trial continues.
