GUILTY UK - Hashim Ijazuddin, 21, and Saqib Hussain, 20, car crash A46 Leicester 11 Feb 2022 *Murder Arrests*

[RusselSprout]

Rekan Karwan is back in the witness box​

The jury has come into court for today's session and Rekan Karwan is back in the witness box, where he is being cross-examined by the prosecutor, Collingwood Thompson KC.
He is being asked about the pursuit up the A46 in the minutes before the fatal crash at about 1.30am on Friday, February 11.

Increase of speed on A46 just before the crash​

The Audi was doing 97mph just before it reached the scene of the collision, the telemetery data shows. Karwan admits he sped up from about 87mph to 97mph just before the crash because he was going to overtake but said he changed his mind and didn't attempt it.
He said: "At that moment my intention was to overtake the Skoda but I decided not to. I decided to stay back."
Mr Thompson suggested the Audi and Seat were "working together to try to stop the Skoda and when that was happening it was rammed off the road".
Karwan said that wasn't true.

'Harsh braking event'​

At the point the crash happened, the Audi TT's telemetery data shows there was a "harsh braking event".
Mr Thompson asked again what Karwan saw of the crash and he replied: "When it went through the central reservation I thought it might have gone through to the other side of the dual carriageway."
Mr Thompson asked: "Why are you braking harshly?" Karwan replied: "I looked at my rear view mirror to confirm if the Skoda was on the road or not."
Mr Thompson said Karwan braked because he knew the Skoda had crashed. He replied: "That's not correct."

TikTok star Mahek Bukhari murder trial latest from court on day 21

Mahek Bukhari and mother Ansreen Bukhari are among eight people on trial for killing Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

Speeds after the collision​

After the "harsh braking event" the Audi got down to nearly 60mph before going back up to about 80mph. Karwan was asked why he needed to go so fast and asked if he was "trying to make as much distance as possible from that car". Karwan said that wasn't true.
He said: "No, that's incorrect."
He was asked to explain why he swapped with Mahek, who took over the driving of the Audi. He replied that it had been a "traumatic" experience.
He said: "I didn't want to drive at that moment having seen the Skoda had disappeared. Also, I was a disqualified driver and didn't want to be stopped by the police."

'Why were you so traumatised?'​

Mr Thompson told Karwan he would only have been "traumatised" if he knew there had been a crash. Karwan insisted again he had only seen that the Skoda had gone towards the central reservation and that he didn't know whether or not there had been a crash.
Mr Thompson asked him why that was traumatising. Karwan said: "I know what's traumatising to me. That's traumatising to me."

TikTok star Mahek Bukhari murder trial latest from court on day 21

Mahek Bukhari and mother Ansreen Bukhari are among eight people on trial for killing Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

'The majority of the conversation was pure silent'​

Karwan described going back south down the A46 and seeing the burning wreck. There was a phone conversation between the two cars but Karwan didn't recall much of it and said: "The majority of the conversation was pure silent".
He admitted there was someone - he didn't know who - had commented when they saw the flaming Skoda.
But he said no one mentioned calling 999. He said: "After I saw the car in flames I thought there was no chance of survival. That's why I didn't call the police.
"I thought they would think I was responsible for what happened."
Mr Thompson said: "But you were responsible, weren't you?" Karwan said: "Partially, yes."

TikTok star Mahek Bukhari murder trial latest from court on day 21

Mahek Bukhari and mother Ansreen Bukhari are among eight people on trial for killing Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[HongKongPhooey]

Any thoughts on why the change of drivers is being laboured? Is it because they want him to admit he knew it had been catastrophic maybe?

 

[RusselSprout]

Walking around Leicester​

At about 2am the two cars parked in Sutton Avenue and the group of defendants was seen walking away from the cars and along Gipsy Lane. Rekan Karwan and Ammeer Jamal split from the group. Karwan returned after going back to Sutton Place, where he said he had dropped his car keys.
He said he had planned to go home but was too traumatised to be at home. He said: "What we saw was not an easy thing. I was traumatised. I came back out because I couldn't stay at my house. I decided to walk with them."

20-minute conversation​

Before all going home, most of the defendants were together in Sutton Place near the cars for about 20 minutes. Karwan said: "We were talking about what happened and what caused it and how scary it was."
Mr Thompson asked: "Did anyone make any attempt to clean the interior of those cars?"
Karwan said no, adding that he had not seen Mohammed Patel cleaning his fingerprints off the wheel brace - which he had told police he did.

TikTok star Mahek Bukhari murder trial latest from court on day 21

Mahek Bukhari and mother Ansreen Bukhari are among eight people on trial for killing Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

'I was gobsmacked'​

Mr Thompson next asked Karwan how he felt when he heard that Mahek and Ansreen had been arrested. He replied: "I was gobsmacked. I didn't know what to say."
Mr Thompson said: "And did you think the police had jumped to the wrong conclusion about this? You'd better go clear it up?"
Karwan said: "I didn't think that."
He said he didn't know they had been arrested for murder until he was arrested. Mr Thompson said: "It was all over the local media - three people arrested on suspicion of murder".
Karwan said he was in London and only saw the story on Sunday - the day he claimed he decided to hand himself in.

Muslim faith​

Mr Thompson brought up Karwan's Muslim faith and asked why he didn't follow the rules about owning up to his crimes.
He replied: "My religion doesn't say you have to admit to something straight away. My religion says admit it. There's no time stamp."

TikTok star Mahek Bukhari murder trial latest from court on day 21

Mahek Bukhari and mother Ansreen Bukhari are among eight people on trial for killing Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

'There was nothing on that phone'​

Four of the defendants took the mobile phones to a shop to switch them in the daytime after the crash.
Karwan was asked why he wanted to get his phone erased. He said "There was nothing on that phone. It was suggested by Raees Jamal and I thought it was the best thing to do."
Mr Thompson asked again what the point was. Karwan replied: "The only point I can remember is that it was suggested to me. That was it. There is no evidence in my phone."
Mr Thompson asked: "Then there was no point in handing your phone in." Karwan said: "I didn't think that at the time."

Karwan's arrest​

Karwan went to a police station with Raees Jamal on Monday, February 14. Karwan said he had heard the police were looking for him and suspected it was to do with the crash.
He and Raees had a conversation with Raees Jamal's mother during a meal at a Nando restaurant before going to the police station, where he was arrested.
He said: "When they said 'on suspicion of murder' I had a brain freeze. I was confused."
Mr Thompson asked Karwan he had entered the police station intending to tell the truth. He replied: "I had no intentions. I just followed legal advice."

TikTok star Mahek Bukhari murder trial latest from court on day 21

Mahek Bukhari and mother Ansreen Bukhari are among eight people on trial for killing Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

'I didn't think it mattered'​

Karwan was accused of leaving details out of his defence case statement - such as his role in negotiating with Saqib about the blackmail. His statement only included that on the night of the fatal crash he was only a "chaperone" for Ansreen and Mahek Bukhari.
When asked why he left details out, he replied: "I didn't think it mattered."
He added: "I didn't have no legal advice. I didn't have no barristers until trial so what I put here was very brief."

'I didn't know anything about a phone or any weapons being taken to that meeting'​

Karwan was asked again about their intentions when the defendants "turned up in numbers at the Tesco car park" to "trap" Saqib. Karwan said: "We turn up in numbers everywhere. This is not unique at all."
He was asked about weapons - Mohammed Patel said he took a weapon - and the fact they were after Saqib's phone, which Raees Jamal had said.
But Karwan said: "I didn't know anything about a phone or any weapons being taken to that meeting."
He added: "There was no trap."

TikTok star Mahek Bukhari murder trial latest from court on day 21

Mahek Bukhari and mother Ansreen Bukhari are among eight people on trial for killing Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

'I had no intention to cause harm'​

Under re-examination by his barrister Mark Rainsford KC Karwan told the jury he had the opportunity to ram the Skoda but didn't. He said: "I had no intention to cause harm to anyibe in my car or anyone in the car in front of me."
He was asked why he didn't get off the A46 at the next junction after the collision site - the Six Hills junction. He said: "I was quite speeding and it was dark."
It was only about three miles later that he pulled off. He said: "It's the first one that I've noticed and I've pulled in."

Change of story​

Karwan is asked about a sentence in his defence case statement that said: "The defendant will maintain that he had no knowledge or control over the actions or intentions of any of the individuals in the Audi or any other vehicles."
Mr Rainsford asked: "You accept it wasn't entirely honest?" He replied he had decided just ahead of the trial to finally admit he had been driving the Audi. He said: "At the time I didn't want to admit because of my disqualification but now the trial's started I'll admit I was the driver."

TikTok star Mahek Bukhari murder trial latest from court on day 21

Mahek Bukhari and mother Ansreen Bukhari are among eight people on trial for killing Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

Karwan's evidence ends​

The judge, Mr Justice Saini, was the last one to ask a question of Karwan and it is about the time the crash happened. The judge said: "What was the Seat doing?"
Karwan said: "The Seat, as far as I remember, was trying to overtake [the Skoda]."
Mr Rainsford has now closed the case for Karwan. There will be a break until midday when the next witness will give evidence.
Next will be Ammeer Jamal, who was a passenger in the Seat Leon.

TikTok star Mahek Bukhari murder trial latest from court on day 21

Mahek Bukhari and mother Ansreen Bukhari are among eight people on trial for killing Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[LouTennant]

Any thoughts on why the change of drivers is being laboured? Is it because they want him to admit he knew it had been catastrophic maybe?

I think it may have to do with his original statement of only being a passenger in the car and having no control over other peoples actions. I think they want to pick the cover story apart piece by piece in the summing up.

So Karwan finished his defence today and to say he was evasive was an understatement.

He stated that he lied in his original interview about driving because he was on a driving ban.
Like Mahek the tragic deaths of two young men does not compel him to show any truth or empathy at all.

Quite shocking really for the victims family's and I'm sure and if I was a juror I know what I would be thinking.

IMO

 

[Legal]

Also he brazenly admits, that not only did he get disqualified from driving but he continued to drive without a care in the world and was caught and had to go to court again the week before this incident. And then he drove again allegedly causing the deaths of two men!

I don't think that will go down well with the jury at all. He clearly has no respect for the law, speeding and going through red lights whilst disqualified from driving. To me he is coming across as an arrogant little s$%t. Reminds of Jodi Arias twisting the narrative to make it look like he's telling some version of the truth.

I think they are banging on about him swapping places with Mahek as it shows knowledge of a crime committed. He is saying everything was an accident and he didn't even know what happened to the skoda, but stopping the car and swapping seats shows knowledge of the seriousness of the incident IMO.

 

[Blynk Mist]

First post... following this case as its local and wondered why it happened at the time.... Not sure if I can post the exact location on here? However after working out the location from the testomony here and looking at the area on Google Maps, having driven along that road 1000's of time I'm surprised there's not been more asked/mentioned about how a car can jump over a duel carrageway armco barrier on its own? (especially as those types of barriers are designed to stop that happening)

Is there anywhere we can see the charges against them (I can see four Txxx case numbers but not what is being charged?)

 

[LouTennant]

Also he brazenly admits, that not only did he get disqualified from driving but he continued to drive without a care in the world and was caught and had to go to court again the week before this incident. And then he drove again allegedly causing the deaths of two men!

I don't think that will go down well with the jury at all. He clearly has no respect for the law, speeding and going through red lights whilst disqualified from driving. To me he is coming across as an arrogant little s$%t. Reminds of Jodi Arias twisting the narrative to make it look like he's telling some version of the truth.

I think they are banging on about him swapping places with Mahek as it shows knowledge of a crime committed. He is saying everything was an accident and he didn't even know what happened to the skoda, but stopping the car and swapping seats shows knowledge of the seriousness of the incident IMO.

I reflect your sentiments exactly. Most of what he has said is a down play on what is some pretty damming evidence against him that night.

Mabe his only statement should have been something like he regrets and is sad about what happened that night and did not intend to cause any harm or death. And then not took the stand.

Or course that would have been ripped apart at court but none or the others are admitting that any harm was intended as well. I suppose with the magnitude of what happened he had to get on the stand.

I beleive they are hoping a few of the jurors believe thier version of events.

IMO

 

[RusselSprout]

Also he brazenly admits, that not only did he get disqualified from driving but he continued to drive without a care in the world and was caught and had to go to court again the week before this incident. And then he drove again allegedly causing the deaths of two men!

I don't think that will go down well with the jury at all. He clearly has no respect for the law, speeding and going through red lights whilst disqualified from driving. To me he is coming across as an arrogant little s$%t. Reminds of Jodi Arias twisting the narrative to make it look like he's telling some version of the truth.

I think they are banging on about him swapping places with Mahek as it shows knowledge of a crime committed. He is saying everything was an accident and he didn't even know what happened to the skoda, but stopping the car and swapping seats shows knowledge of the seriousness of the incident IMO.

agree he comes cross arrogant, as mahek did too, they seem to have an attitude.

 

[RusselSprout]

Ammeer Jamal in the witness box​

Rajiv Kennon KC is now asking questions of his client Ammeer Jamal. Ammeer Jamal said he finished college at 18 got an apprentiship at the Leicester Audi dealership. He was working there at the time of the incident, although he had been furloughed during some of the pandemic.

More about Ammeer Jamal's life​

The defendant has a daughter who turned four yesterday. He and the child's mother split up in 2020 but they remain on "decent terms", he said.
He and the mother of his daughter lived together for just over a year and after they separated he moved back in with his parents in Catherine Street, Leicester. He described himself as a Muslim and said his ex-girlfriend was as Sikh.
He was asked about his parents' reaction to their relationship. He said: "They were shocked because it's not something that normally happens in our community but they were very supportive."
He was asked how her parents reacted to their relationship and he said they were "a bit mad". He said he now has a new girlfriend who lives near Leeds.

Ammeer Jamal's connections to his co-defendants​

The defendant said he had never met Ansreen Bukhari before February 10 and had never heard her name. He said he "may have come across" Mahek on social media but they had never met, spoken or had any social media communication with each other.
Raees Jamal is his cousin - the son of Ammeer's father's brother. Ammeer is two years older and saw Raees "fairly frequently". He described Rekan Karwan as a friend for the past two years who he saw "quite frequently" in the months leading up to the fatal crash.
He said he knew Sanaf Gulammustafa "fairly well" through Raees and socialised with him "sometimes." He said he knew Natasha Akhtar through Raees and had met her "a handful of times" before the crash.
He said he had only met Mohammed Patel a "couple of times" and knew him by his nickname, "MP".

TikTok star Mahek Bukhari murder trial latest from court on day 21

Mahek Bukhari and mother Ansreen Bukhari are among eight people on trial for killing Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

What friends did together​

Ammeer was asked what he and his friends did together. He said: "Go for long drives, mainly out of Leicester - any other city but Leicester. London, Birmingham, Leeds, Bradford...
"We like to go to shisha bars, restaurants, that sort of thing." He said they also "met up with other mates in car parks, hang out".
He said Sutton Place - where the cars were parked after the crash - was one of the places he and his friends would hang out. He said he would smoke a "little bit" of cannabis "but not a lot".
He said their social lives were "pretty much spontaneous all the time" and they would sometimes stay out all night, getting home between 4am and 7.30am before going to work for 8am. He said he sometimes fell asleep at work and had been warned about his timekeeping and falling asleep by his boss.

Police stop on February 8​

A few days before the fatal crash on Tuesday, February 8, Ammeer Jamal went out with his cousin Raees, Akhtar and Gulammustafa. They went to the McIndians restaurant in Leicester and then drove, planning to go to Skegness. They went in Natasha Akhtar's Seat Leon.
He said: "We'd just go there, walk on the beach. It helped us clear our minds." He said it was a cold night.
Mr Kennon said: "Some people might consider that an odd thing to do." Ammeer Jamal said they had done it six or seven times before.
He said Rekan Karwan called them when they were in Lincolnshire and was "upset" that he hadn't been invited along so they turned round and headed back to Leicester to pick him up. On their way back they were stopped by the police between Lincoln and Newark. He said his cousin may have been driving at above the speed limit.

More on the police stop​

They were stopped at 9.50pm on the A46 by Lincolnshire Police. After they gave their names they were allowed to leave and they returned to Leicester.

Meeting up with his co-defendants​

Ammeer Jamal said that on Thursday, February 10, he finished work at about 5pm and got home at about 6pm. He was due to work the Friday and also had plans to take his daughter to Leeds to meet his girlfriend for the first time at the weekend.
He told Mr Kennon he had no plans to go out on Thursday evening but later went to meet his friends at Tubo on Belgrave Circle in Leicester, which is a shisha lounge on the site of the former Woodsman bar.
He said he had been at home when Raees Jamal called him at 6.50pm, asking him if he wanted to go out. Mr Kennon asked if there was any mention of Mahek or Saqib or blackmail during that conversation. He said no.

What happened next​

Raees Jamal, Natasha Akhtar and Sanaf Gulammustafa picked Ammeer Jamal up in the Seat Leon and he sat in the back of the car - he said each time he got in the car that night he sat in the back. He was wearing a black Nike tracksuit with a hood, he said. He was not wearing a hat, he said.
Mr Kennon asked him if he had a balaclava. He said no. He was asked if anyone asked him to bring a balaclava and he said no. Mr Kennon said: "Did you have any kind of face covering?"
He said he had a black cloth Covid mask. He said he didn't realise he had it with him when he left his parents' house. He said he realised he had the mask after the fatal crash as they arrived back in Leicester.

TikTok star Mahek Bukhari murder trial latest from court on day 21

Mahek Bukhari and mother Ansreen Bukhari are among eight people on trial for killing Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

Defendants' evidence at odds over facemask​

Earlier this week Rekan Karwan told the jury during his evidence that Ammeer Jamal was wearing a Covid mask just below his mouth at Tubo, before the fatal crash. Ammeer Jamal said he only put the Covid mask on after the cars stopped in Sutton Place - after the crash.
When asked about Karwan's evidence, Ammeer Jamal said: "I believe he might have been mistaken about that. I didn't have it on."

The hours at Tubo​

The group spent "three or four hours" at Tubo, having shisha and food, playing Monopoly and listening to a band that was playing at the bar. Rekan Karwan turned "at some point" and stayed for about "15 minutes, 20 minutes".
Ammeer said he greeted Karwan but did not have any further conversation with him. He said: "He said hello to everyone and then he was speaking with my cousin [Raees Jamal]."
He made a phone call at 11.33pm, which was not answered. He said he did not remember who he was calling at that point. There were no more calls until after 2am. He said his phone was on, however.

Ammeer Jamal denies switching his phone off​

Mr Kennon asked Ammeer Jamal: "Did anyone ask you not to use your phone or to turn it off?" He said no.
There will now be a lunch break until 2pm.

Ammeer smoked a cannabis joint​

Ammeer Jamal is still being questioned by his barrister, Mr Kennon, who asked him about smoking a cannabis joint with Sanaf Gulammustafa outside Tubo before they set off.
He told the jury: "I felt quite high." He said they then drove in the Seat Leon to Rekan Karwan's house. He sat in the rear of the car, behind the driver's seat, he said.

'I only feel comfortable using my own toilet.'​

Ammeer Jamal said he stayed in the car outside Rekan Karwan's house. He said he did not go into the house at any point that night.
While they were outside Karwan's house there was no mention of Mahek Bukhari, Saqib Hussain or blackmail, he said.
The Seat Leon left Tomlin Road at about the same time Mahek and her mother arrived in Leicester. He said: "I asked my cousin to take me to the toilet." He said the Seat went back to his house in Catherine Street. He said: "I only feel comfortable using my own toilet."
Mr Kennon asked: "You needed to go for a number two?" Ammeer replied yes.

Ammeer denies fetching a weapon​

Raees Jamal and Ammeer Jamal got out of the car at Catherine Street and Ammeer went to the toilet, he said. Mr Kennon asked: "Did you collect anything from your house?" Ammeer said no.
Mr Kennon asked if he collected a weapon. Ammeer Jamal said: "No, that's ridiculous."
He was asked if he was a violent man and he said no.

TikTok star Mahek Bukhari murder trial latest from court on day 21

Mahek Bukhari and mother Ansreen Bukhari are among eight people on trial for killing Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

Photo of "tool" inside the Seat​

Ammeer Jamal was asked about a photograph of the inside of the Seat showing a "screwdriver like thing" in the front of the Seat. Mr Kennon asked if he had colllected the tool from his house and Ammeer Jamal said he had never seen that tool.
The jury heard the tool was found under the driver's seat of the Seat. Ammeer confirmed he had seen something similar at work - at the Audi Leicester dealership - and it was a special kind of screwdriver used for working on "interior trims in cars".

TikTok star Mahek Bukhari murder trial latest from court on day 21

Mahek Bukhari and mother Ansreen Bukhari are among eight people on trial for killing Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

Seat Leon returned to Karwan's house​

The Seat Leon was at Ammeer's house in Catherine Street for just over six minutes and it left with Ammeer in the back, behind the driver's seat again. Mr Kennon asked: "It's 12.49am and you had work the next day. Why go out again?"
He replied: "It's like any night. There weren't no plans as such yet." He said he had still, at that point, heard nothing about Mahek, Saqib or blackmail.
The car returned to Tomlin Road, where Rekan Karwan lives. He said Mohammed Patel turned up at Karwan's house. Ammeer said he was "surprised" to see Patel arrive. He had no idea why Patel was there and no one else told him why Patel was there, he said. He said he did not speak to Patel at any point that evening.

Mahek and mother at Karwan's house​

The Audi TT Mahek and her mother arrived in was in Tomlin Road when the Seat got back to Karwan's house. He said no one told him who was in the Audi and he had no idea who was inside the car.
He said the Seat he had been in was parked in front of the Audi. Once again, he said, Ammeer did not get out of the Seat but his cousin, Raees Jamal did.
Ammeer said he did not hear any of Raees's conversations outside the Seat.

TikTok star Mahek Bukhari murder trial latest from court on day 21

Mahek Bukhari and mother Ansreen Bukhari are among eight people on trial for killing Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin

www.leicestermercury.co.uk