Five young people—four of them minors—have been arrested for the murder of Bakari Sako, a 35-year-old farmhand originally from Mali, who was fatally stabbed in Taranto's old town last Saturday. The fatal stab wounds were reportedly inflicted by a fifteen-year-old boy.
The incident has sparked outrage, anger, and indignation. "Taranto cannot and must not give in to episodes of this nature. A collective effort is needed to rebuild the social fabric and restore safety, dignity, and prospects to our most vulnerable neighborhoods," said Taranto Mayor Piero Bitetti . The mayor offered the victim's family "deepest condolences" and admitted that "it's difficult to find the words" to comment on the incident and that it is necessary to "make a serious and thoughtful reflection on the social distress affecting some areas of our city."
According to reports, the 35-year-old—described by friends as a quiet and gentle person—had arrived in Taranto in 2022 to join his brother, who had since moved to Spain. He had worked as a waiter for several years and then, more recently, as a laborer in Massafra while waiting to find other employment. He regularly left his bicycle at the station to take a bus to the fields. He leaves behind two wives in his hometown, both of whom are expecting a child.
According to what has been established so far, last Saturday the victim had stopped in Piazza Fontana, in the old city, for a coffee before going to work, when he encountered a group of youths who surrounded him, then attacked and beat him. This was followed by the fatal stab wounds, at least three, inflicted by a 15-year-old. Tg1 showed the last images, showing Bakari on his bike heading to the square where he met his death.
(Unioneonline)
