Man charged with 1st-degree murder in drive-by shooting

A 24-year-old man has been charged with first-degree murder in the August shooting death of Levy Kasende.

Michael Belleus, 24,appeared in court Friday morning and wasremanded into custody. He is next scheduled to appear in court on June 7.

Kasende, 22, was visiting his daughter and ex-girlfriendat Innes Roadin Ottawa on Aug. 25, 2012 when he was shot and killed during what was described as a drive-by shooting.

Police arrested five men on Thursday as part of their investigation.

Search warrants were also being executed at several residences.

Anonymous letter received in April

An anonymous letter police received in April pointed to potential suspects and a motive, said investigators.

"It wasn't a single event that brought us to this point in time, it was a cumulative effect," said Staff Sgt. Bruce Pirt of Ottawa police on Thursday.

"We had to overcome various hurdles in the case, such as lack of witness co-operation at the beginnning. But we eventually did manage to cobble together a fairly good case enough to get us to this point today."

Belleus had been shot in the shoulder by Kasende at the corner of Rideau and Cumberland Streets on Canada Day in 2010, according to police sources.

Belleus known to police

Kasende's brother Thierry said his family had been kept informed by police leading up to the arrests.

"Yes, we would have liked it to happen a lot faster but from (the police's) side I think they did a pretty good job in letting us know where they stood, what was happening," said Thierry Kasende.

Belleus had been charged on 12 separate occasions before the murder charge dating back to 2008. He has also been convicted three times, including drug possession in November 2012.

Belleus had been prohibited from owning a weapon due to his prior convictions.