Taranto murder: TikTok clip of arrested minors evaluated for investigation by Lecce prosecutors
A video showing two of the minors detained for the killing of Bakari Sako appeared on TikTok and was removed within hours. The victim's brother calls for justice.
TikTok video of detained minors reignites Sako case
A video posted on TikTok and removed after a few hours has brought renewed attention to the killing of Bakari Sako, the 35-year-old Malian farm labourer who was killed at dawn on 9 May in the old town of Taranto. According to ANSA Cronaca, the images appear to show two of the four minors involved in the investigation, currently held in a juvenile detention facility.
The clip, accompanied by the phrase "What does not kill you, strengthens you" and a musical backing track, is reported to have been posted by a minor acquaintance of the detainees. Investigators will need to establish who filmed the footage and whether it was recorded inside the detention facility.
According to Corriere del Mezzogiorno, the juvenile prosecutors' office in Lecce, headed by Simona Filoni, is evaluating whether to open an investigation file. The content has provoked outrage also for the messages of support directed at the arrested youths.
The suspects and charges
Six young people are under investigation for Sako's murder on charges of voluntary manslaughter: a 22-year-old, a 20-year-old, and four minors aged between 15 and 16. One of the sixteen-year-olds — who was still 15 at the time of the assault — admitted to having struck the fatal knife blows.
The brother: "We only want justice according to the law"
In a post published on Facebook, Souleymane Sako, the victim's younger brother, wrote: "My brother is gone now, I do not hate anyone. Our family only wants justice to be done according to the law."
In the message, Souleymane thanks those who have offered support and calls for "continuing to fight so this never happens again". He also appeals for mutual respect: "We decided to live together and we must learn to teach our children respect and peace."
The brother also explained the decision to hold a private funeral. "We all saw how Bakari was killed. He was a quiet person and he was killed like an animal. There are so many images on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram and making videos and photos of his body would have caused us even more suffering. We needed peace and prayer."
In an interview with Corriere della Sera, Souleymane had already stated that Bakari in Taranto "had always been well", describing his death as "unacceptable".
The post closes with thanks to associations, the Malian and African community, journalists, Flai Cgil and law enforcement. "We only want justice for Bakari Sako, my brother", he concludes.
Source: ANSA Cronaca