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Family and friends of 23-year-old Alfred Okyere sat in a Saskatoon courtroom on Wednesday hoping for an update on the man charged with Okyere’s murder.
Okyere, an international student from Ghana, was stabbed to death at his workplace on January 20, less than four months after he arrived in the city.
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Troy Leclair, 53, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with Okyere’s death. He did not physically appear in court on Wednesday, but instead attended by phone.
Alfred Okyere, 23, moved to Saskatoon from Ghana as an international student in September. (Alexander Osei-Owusu/Submitted)
Judge Lua Gibb adjourned the case until Monday, and Leclair will remain in custody until his next appearance. The court heard that Leclair is currently switching from Legal Aid to a private lawyer, and granted the adjournment to allow him to make the necessary arrangements.
Victor Yeke, president of the Ghana Canadian Association in Saskatoon, said Okyere’s family and friends attended the appearance expecting more than just an adjournment.
“We are kind of surprised, because people took the day off to come to court,” he told reporters outside of the courthouse. “It’s unfortunate, and there’s nothing we can do about it… We’re just praying that justice will be served.”
Yeke said Okyere’s friends and family are devastated, and a lot of questions still need to be answered.
“People are scared, right? People came here to call (Saskatoon) home, and they are wondering if this is supposed to be home for them,” Yeke said.
On Tuesday, a vigil for Okyere was held at DSI Underground Canada on Millar Avenue, where he was stabbed. The event drew dozens of people, including Yeke, who said he was pleased with the turnout and noted police were in attendance.
“We were happy and sad at the same time,” he said about the event.
“We are missing one of our colleagues who is always there with us… and a very active member in whatever we do,” he said.
Yeke said the family feels comfort knowing that Leclair is still in custody, and will continue to attend future court dates.
“We cannot close the chapter until everything is done,” Yeke said.
“We’ve lost a great individual. We’ve lost a hard-working young guy,” Okyere’s friend Alexander Osei-Owusu said in a previous interview with 650 CKOM.
“We’ve lost a friend and a brother,” he added. “He had all the positive qualities.”
Osei-Owusu said he was told by police that Okyere was stabbed “17 times in a space of 30 seconds.”
Okyere’s death marked Saskatoon’s first homicide case of 2025.
