TEEN ADMITS HE'S A KILLER

Popular Student Was Slain After Marijuana Deal Went Sour in Coffee Shop

A teen admitted yesterday he killed a Downsview high school student
after a pot deal went awry at coffee shop.

Oluwasegun Akinsanya, now 19, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the
April 20, 2006 slaying of Danilo Celestino, 17, shortly after 3 p.m.
at the Coffee Time Donut Shop at 1010 Wilson Ave.

Akinsanya was sentenced by Justice David Watt to the equivalent of
five years imprisonment, less 26 months credit for pre-trial custody.

The then 18-year old youth met Celestino, who sold small quantities
of pot, at the coffee shop. Celestino and Akinsanya went to the
bathroom to make a drug exchange, said Crown attorney David Wright in
reading an agreed statement of facts. Celestino pulled a knife and
slashed Akinsanya's neck twice, above the rear hair-line, as he
exited the bathroom.

Akinsanya pushed Celestino back into the washroom and disarmed him.
The teen stabbed Celestino at least twice and the fatal thrust into
his back nicked his aorta, causing massive bleeding.

Both teens bolted from the coffee shop, but Celestino collapsed
outside on the sidewalk while his killer raced eastbound on Wilson Ave.

Akinsanya, who was caught on Downsview Secondary School's
surveillance video as he trolled the hallways looking for a marijuana
seller on Bob Marley day, surrendered to police four days later.

On Television

His image was shown on TV that day and his lawyer Ted Royle arranged
for his client's surrender.

Det. Stacy Gallant, the officer in charge of the Celestino probe as
well as Wednesday's fatal shooting of another teen at nearby C. W.
Jefferys, said the video cameras proved to be invaluable.

"It definitely helped us come to a resolution in this case.
Unfortunately, there are no security cameras in place (at Jefferys).
Security cameras are extremely important to us in solving cases," Gallant said.

"This was a great tragedy to all the students and it puts the lie to
high school students who think that dealing in marijuana doesn't kill
people. Yet this led to another young person dying due to that."

No one knows why Celestino lashed out at his killer, who has never
given a statement to police, said Gallant.

"He was a good, well-rounded kid with a promising future ahead," he added.

In victim-impact statements read in court, Celestino was portrayed as
a "dedicated student who aspired to be a computer
programmer-technician" and was well-loved by his family members,
friends and students.

Royle said while "clearly there was provocation" since his client was
stabbed, he replied with "excessive" force and was guilty of
manslaughter, not second-degree murder as he was charged.

"He didn't bring the weapon. He didn't anticipate the violence, it
was completely unexpected," said Royle.