By Omar Bah
The Gambian Mission in London has confirmed that the Arab community in France has raised 4,000 euros to fund the repatriation of the body of Yusupha York, a Gambian recently killed in France.
York was reportedly stabbed to death in the city of Saint-Etienne.
“The African and Arab community in the city he was killed in have raised 4,000 euros for his repatriation. Our embassy officials in France have spoken to his father and brother in The Gambia and the community involved in the case in France. His brother in Germany is already in France. He is travelling to Saint-Etienne tomorrow. Once police and pathologists release the body, all necessary documentation and arrangements will be made to take the body to The Gambia. We expect that by Monday (today), more official information will emerge,” Mr Suntou Touray disclosed.
According to reports in France, the Saint-Etienne prosecutor’s office requested a warrant of arrest against three men aged 28, 32 and 62. The three were arrested and taken into custody and indicted Friday afternoon for the murder of Mr York as well as for assault and battery leading to death.
According to French press reports, the death of the 26-year-old sent shockwaves through the Métare district of Saint-Etienne. It came after a brawl involving a dozen people at about 9:30pm near a bar on Rue Colette.
According to residents, the extremely violent brawl involved a dozen individuals, some of whom were armed with knives and screwdrivers.
Some bystanders were reported to have filmed the melee and sent the videos to investigators at the criminal division of the Saint-Etienne’s directorate of public scurity.
York was said to have died a few hours later on the operating table at the Saint-Etienne hospital. He was the father of a two-and-a-half month-old girl.
