SUSPECTS have denied murdering a man who was hit by a car and stabbed in an East Oxford street.

Four men accused of killing 22-year-old Luciano Dos Santos each entered not guilty pleas during a hearing at Oxford Crown Court this morning.

Michael Yemane, aged 20, of South Bridge Row, Oxford, Welid Solomon, aged 25, of Field Avenue, Oxford, Sasan Mohammed Khalid, aged 19, of no fixed abode, and Safeen Abdullah Karimi, aged 27, of Hode Garth, Thame, were all charged with one count of murder on Friday, March 8. 

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All four defendants appeared before Judge Ian Pringle QC this morning and entered not guilty pleas, some with assistance from a Kurdish translator. 

They were charged after Mr Dos Santos, from Southampton, was stabbed in Southfield Road in East Oxford on Wednesday, February 27.

Oxford Mail:

Luciano Dos Santos

He was attacked at about 11.30pm and died of his injuries one week later at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

His mother described him as a 'kindhearted' and 'cheeky' man who 'loved helping others and always had a smile on his face.'

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A trial date for the four defendants was set for Tuesday, September 3, and is expected to last between four and six weeks.

All defendants were remanded in custody ahead of the trial. 

The court was told Yemane will require translation during the trial, from a language spoken in the African country of Eritrea.

ALSO READ: Coroner opens inquest into death of Luciano Dos Santos

Last month a 42-year-old from Oxford was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, in connection with the stabbing. 

Prosecution barrister Lesley Bates told the court that an individual is still being investigated for assisting an offender. 

Southfield Road is a residential road just off the busy Cowley Road, the next junction along from the Co-op.

It was cordoned off following the attack as forensics combed the scene for evidence.

A forensic tent was set up at the junction with Warneford Road, outside a block of student flats called Sinnet Court.