A youth charged with the murder of a Japanese man in a stabbing in Dundalk in January was “unfit to attend” another court hearing today.

Mohamed Morei (18) was remanded in custody on January 4 after being charged with the murder of 24-year-old Yosuke Sasaki. He was unable to attend the ninth subsequent hearings and could not appear at his tenth scheduled hearing at Cloverhill District Court today.

The defendant has been receiving ongoing medical care in the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) in Dundrum where he could remain for several months.

Judge Victor Blake noted that a sick note from the youth’s doctor had been furnished to the court. Judge Blake said the accused was an in-patient at the CMH and was “unfit to attend” court. The judge further remanded him in custody in his absence and adjourned the case for two weeks.

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Court Garda Sergeant Stephen Nalty also told the court the file on the case has been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions and it was “still under consideration”.

“It is a quite a large file,” he added.

At an earlier hearing the court had been told the accused’s identity had yet to be confirmed.

Judge Blake asked the sergeant today if he was aware of any progress. The sergeant said, “one or two queries have been raised by not a substantial amount”.

Defence solicitor Barry Callan told the court he was not in a position to progress the matter.

The case resumes on May 31 next.

Mr Sasaki, from Ebina, west of Tokyo, was fatally stabbed on Avenue Road shortly before 9am on Jan. 3 last.

He had worked at National Pen, a call centre in Dundalk, Co. Louth and had lived in Ireland for the past year.

Following his death, an Irish man was injured when he was stabbed a short time later at a nearby location. At 9.40am, gardai received a report that another local man had been injured in an attack at Seatown Place.

Mr Morei was initially remanded in custody by Dundalk District Court on Jan. 4 after he was charged with the murder of Mr Sasaki.

At that hearing, Garda Inspector Martin Beggy said the youth's nationality had not yet been undetermined. A bail application will have to be made in the High Court because he faces a murder charge.

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