AN 18-YEAR-OLD youth charged with the murder of a Japanese man in a stabbing in Dundalk last week was “not fit to attend” a court hearing today.

Mohamed Morei, who was remanded in custody last week after he was charged with the murder of 24-year-old Yosuke Sasaki, is undergoing treatment in the Central Mental Hospital (CMH), Judge Victor Blake was told.

Mr Sasaki was fatally stabbed on Avenue Road shortly before 9am on 3 January last.

Mr Sasaki from Ebina, west of Tokyo, 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 a short time later on Coes Road in Dundalk. At 9.40am, gardaí received a report that another local man was injured in an attack with a fence pole at Seatown Place.

Morei, whose nationality has to be confirmed, was remanded in custody by Dundalk District Court on 4 January last after he was charged with the murder of Mr Sasaki. Garda Inspector Martin Beggy had said at the hearing that there was an issue with the defendant’s nationality which was undetermined at present.

A bail application will have to be made in the High Court because he is facing a murder charge.

About 1,500 people crowded into Dundalk town centre earlier this week for a candle lit vigil to remember Mr Sasaki. A fund-raising drive in Ireland has also begun to cover the costs of his repatriation.

Mr Morei was due to face his second hearing at Cloverhill District Court on Thursday, however, when the case was called Judge Victor Blake was informed that he was not able to attend the hearing.

Defence counsel Aoife O’Halloran told the court that it was her understanding that Mr Morei “was not fit to attend”.

Judge Blake said he had been furnished with a letter from a forensic psychiatrist at the CMH where the accused was undergoing medical treatment and he was unfit to attend the court hearing. It was the doctor’s opinion that Mr Morei would also be unfit to come to court in two weeks time, Judge Blake said.

He further remanded the accused in custody in his absence and adjourned the case until 25 January next when the case will be listed for mention. He also asked for an updated letter from the doctor and his team.

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