A 16-year-old boy on trial for the murder of 15-year-old Amen Teklay allegedly confessed to the killing, a court heard this week. The testimony emerged as part of the ongoing trial at the High Court in Glasgow, where two youths stand accused of the fatal attack on March 5, 2025.

Prosecutors allege that the two defendants, aged 16 and 17, brandished a sword and a frying pan during the confrontation in the St George’s Cross area of the city. According to the charges, the victim, who was originally from Eritrea and lived in Glasgow with his father, was chased before being struck with the sword. He later died on Clarendon Street.

The Testimony

Jurors were shown footage of a police interview with a third youth, also 16, who had been initially arrested in connection with the case. The witness told officers that he had played football with the accused boys earlier on the day of the incident. Later that night, he received a phone call from another individual who claimed the 16-year-old defendant had stabbed Teklay.

Following that call, the witness confronted the defendant at school. "I asked him and he told me," the witness told police in the recorded interview. "He confessed to it."

The Defense Strategy

The 16-year-old defendant has lodged a special defense of self-defense. The trial, which continues to examine the events of that evening, highlights the gravity of the violence that unfolded in the St George’s Cross area. Both defendants remain subject to reporting restrictions due to their age, preventing their identification.

A Broader Wave of Crime Reports

The trial is one of several significant criminal cases currently moving through the Scottish justice system. In a separate case, Joseph Greer, 40, pleaded guilty to the murder of his partner, Samantha Lee, in Aberdeen. Greer, who was wearing an electronic tag at the time of the attack, bludgeoned Lee with a claw hammer in January. He now faces a mandatory life sentence.

Meanwhile, in the Scottish Borders, a 39-year-old man has been charged following the death of 35-year-old Stacey Hogg in Hawick. Police discovered Hogg’s body at a property on McLagan Drive on Thursday morning, and the investigation into the circumstances of her death remains active.

Key Takeaways

  • A 16-year-old defendant in the Amen Teklay murder trial allegedly confessed to the stabbing during a conversation at school, according to witness testimony.
  • The prosecution claims the victim was chased and attacked with a sword and a frying pan in the St George’s Cross area of Glasgow.
  • The 16-year-old accused has formally lodged a special defense of self-defense as the trial proceeds.

As the trial for the death of Amen Teklay continues, the court is expected to hear further evidence regarding the events of March 5. The proceedings are scheduled to resume next week, where the defense will have the opportunity to challenge the witness accounts presented by the prosecution.