A mosque worshipper, attending traditional Friday prayers, has been caged for life for his involvement in machine-gunning two respected hoteliers to death during a parking row at the rear of their business.
Mohammed Ayub Khan, 28, (pic. top) blocked the rear alleyway in East London while worshipping at a local mosque and returned with a Mach 10 machine pistol and two accomplices after the victims complained.
Hotel owners and local property developers Amarjit Singh, 52, (pic. middle) and his nephew Rajinder Singh, 35, (pic. bottom) were brutally shot dead in Atherton Mews, Forest Gate on August 29, 2003.
They had blocked in Khan’s car with their van behind Forest View Hotel, Romford Road and all three had a heated argument when the defendant returned.
Later that day Khan returned with two unknown accomplices and began vandalising the van.
When the victims dashed out to confront them they were sprayed with machine gun fire and left for dead in front of Amarjit’s 26 year-old daughter.
Police later discovered ten shots had been fired.
Khan fled to Pakistan and then Bangladesh, where he was eventually arrested on August 5, 2010 and extradited to the U.K. on October 24.
He was convicted of both murders at Woolwich Crown Court and sentenced to life imprisonment – with a twenty-sex year minimum.
Detective Inspector Andrew Yeats of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command said: “Amarjit and Rajinder and their families were highly respected members of the community.
“They were hard working hoteliers and property developers who had been pro-active in trying to improve community life in Forest Gate by working with the local authority and community groups.
“They were callously murdered in the most appalling way with the use of extreme violence beyond any comprehension.
“I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to their families for the dignified way in which they have handled such an incredibly difficult situation.
“They waited eight years for justice whilst Ayub Khan attempted to evade the authorities.
“This case clearly shows the MPS work tirelessly to pursue violent and dangerous criminals and we will bring them to justice no matter where they seek to hide in the world.”
Speaking outside court D I Yeats appealed for anyone with information on the two outstanding suspects or the murder weapon to come forward.
He said: “We are still seeking two casually dressed Asian men wearing hooded tops in their late teens or early twenties.
“They ran away from the scene during the busy period after Friday prayers and turned right into Norwich Road, crossed Romford Road and continued south in Margery Park Road where they may have got into a parked vehicle.
“The Mach ten machine pistol is yet to be recovered. I would appeal for anyone with any information on the two outstanding suspects or the murder weapon to come forward and assist my team with the on-going investigation.”
Anyone who can assist should call the incident room on 0208 345 1570 or if you wish to remain anonymous you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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