Murder charge laid in 2017 Halifax death ruled homicide just weeks ago

A 52-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder in the 2017 death of Benjamin Loka Lokeny, who was found badly injured near a Halifax intersection and later died in hospital.

On July 20, 2017, police were called to the corner of Buddy Daye and Gottingen streets and found Lokeny, a 51-year-old immigrant from South Sudan, suffering from a head injury.

Paramedics took him to hospital with life-threatening injuries. He died more than a month later. 

Halifax Regional Police said Monday they arrested Troy Edward William Clayton, 52, on Friday in Halifax. He is scheduled to appear in Halifax provincial court Monday to face a charge of second-degree murder.

Police announced earlier this month that Lokeny's death had been declared a homicide. Police said an autopsy was conducted and after further in-depth testing, the medical examiner determined Lokeny's death was a homicide.

"We hope that the charges announced today bring some measure of comfort to Benjamin's loved ones and the Sudanese community in Halifax," Supt. Jim Perrin told reporters at a news conference on Monday.

He said police believe Lokeny and Clayton knew each other. 

The Lokeny case was recently added to Nova Scotia's major unsolved crimes program, which means the province is willing to pay as much as $150,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever killed him.

Perrin said the rewards program was a factor in laying charges in the case but would not elaborate on what evidence was brought forward late last week that led to the charge. 

"Well, it's certainly a tool in the toolbox for investigators," he said.

"For all the homicides that have happened in our communities over the years, we feel that in almost every case there's people who have witnessed these or who have information that if they came forward we would have successful outcomes in many of these investigations."