Police make arrest after man dies from Paradise flats fall

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Detectives have arrested a man on suspicion of murder after a man died following a fall from an eighth floor flat in Foleshill last night.



Police said a 39-year-old suspect presented himself at a police station in the city at around 11am today.

An investigation was launched after emergency services were called to Eden Street, Paradise, at around 11.25pm by a passer-by who saw a person lying in the road.

Despite the best efforts of paramedics, the man, who is believed to be in his early 30s, was pronounced dead in hospital shortly after midnight.

Supt Nick Walton, from Coventry Police, said: “We’re still in the very early stages of this investigation and our enquiries to understand exactly what happened are ongoing.

“I want to reassure people that this is being treated as an isolated incident and we now have a named suspect in custody.

“But we are still keen to hear from any witnesses or anyone who may be able to help us piece together the events of yesterday evening.

“Perhaps you saw the man drop from the flat or heard a disturbance in the moments before or after he fell ? please speak to officers at the scene or give us a call.“

"As always, if anyone has any concerns whatsoever, they should not hesitate to contact their local neighbourhood team on 101.”

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Coventry apartment balcony fall murder suspect charged



A man has been charged with murder after a man fell from an eighth-floor apartment balcony in Coventry.

The victim was found lying on the ground outside flats in Eden Street, Foleshill, at about 23:30 GMT last Wednesday.

Police have named him as Zimbabwe-born Edwin Mazordze, 30. He had lived in Coventry since 2004.

Unemployed Younis Masih, 39, from Eden Street, was charged with murder and is due to appear before magistrates.

Paying tribute to Mr Mazordze, his family said: "We are all still in shock over what has happened.

"Eddie was a much loved son and brother who will be greatly missed by all his family. We are trying to come to terms with this shocking and terrible news."

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Coventry balcony push murderer Younis Masih jailed for life



A man who bludgeoned his friend with a brass statuette before throwing him from an eighth-floor balcony has been jailed for life.

Younis Masih, 40, attacked Edwin Mazorodze, 31, in his Coventry tower block flat while high on drugs.

Masih, of Paradise House, Eden Street, Foleshill, denied one charge of murder but was found guilty by a jury at Warwick Crown Court.

He was ordered to serve a minimum 15 years in jail.

West Midlands Police said Mr Mazorodze's "crumpled" body was spotted on a disabled access ramp at about 23:30 BST on 4 December last year.

They said Masih changed his bloodied clothes and attempted to clean parts of the flat before leaving the crime scene.

Upon exiting the building he "calmly" walked past paramedics as they treated Mr Mazorodze, police added.

Following Masih's arrest, blood-stained clothes were found at his mother's address.

Edwin Mazordze's family, from Zimbabwe, were in court to see Masih sentenced

A post-mortem examination found Mr Mazorodze, of Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry, also known as "Eddie", died as a result of falling from a height.

Mr Mazorodze's parents, who travelled from Zimbabwe to witness Masih's trial, said the impact of their son's death had been "catastrophic".

"Eddie was a larger than life character who brought laughter to all family occasions," they said.

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Younis Masih cleared of murdering friend who fell from 8th floor balcony of Coventry block of flats

A Coventry man, jailed for life after a jury found him guilty of throwing a friend 80 feet to his death from a balcony, has had his conviction overturned by top judges.

The “circumstantial” prosecution case against Younis Masih was so flawed that it should never have been put before a jury, the Court of Appeal ruled.

Mr Masih was accused of bundling Edwin Mazorodze off an eighth floor balcony at a Coventry tower block while the pair were high on drugs.

Trial jurors heard the push followed a “sustained and vicious attack” by Mr Masih, although he has always steadfastly denied his guilt.

Masih, 41, of Paradise House, Eden Street, Foleshill, was jailed for life last June at Warwick Crown Court after he was convicted of murdering his 31-year-old friend.

Mr Masih, who was accused of bludgeoning Mr Mazorodze with a brass statuette before bundling him off the balcony, was ordered to serve a minimum of 15 years.

However, Appeal Court judge, Lord Justice Pitchford, today ruled Mr Masih had ‘no case to answer’.

Although there was ‘a theoretical possibility’ that he had propelled his friend to his death, the evidence was just as consistent with it being a tragic accident.

There was a ‘critical gap’ in eye-witness evidence of what happened on the balcony and the conviction was in the end based on ‘no more than speculation’.

The judge, sitting with Mr Justice Haddon-Cave and Judge Simon Bourne-Arton QC, concluded: “This case should have been withdrawn from the jury.

“The jury could not safely exclude the possibility that Mr Mazorodze’s death was an accident”.

Prosecution lawyers had claimed that Mr Masih changed his bloodied clothes and tried to clean part of the flat to cover his tracks.

He was accused of “calmly” walking past paramedics as they treated his stricken friend and “slinking off into the night”.

But Lord Justice Pitchford said Mr Masih may well have feared being blamed for his pal’s death and acted as he did ‘in a hopeless quest for self-preservation’.

It was Mr Masih’s case at trial that Mr Mazorodze “went crazy” before accidentally falling from the balcony.