Kamal Samad warned bystanders to “stay away” in his dying moments while he was being murdered by three masked thugs. The 25-year-old curry delivery driver had been lured into a quiet turning to be killed—because he refused to get involved in a dispute with a rival delivery business.
One of his killers, Foyjur Rahman, owner of the rival curry business, eluded justice for 19 years when he fled to America two days after the murder in 1997—but has finally been brought to justice at the Old Bailey.
Rahman, now 44, was found guilty of murdering Kamal and was sentenced today to Life with a minimum of 18 years.
Kamal, a married Bangladeshi living in Bethnal Green with his wife and two little girls—one aged three, the other just a baby—was attacked with a machete, meat cleaver and baseball bat.
He was delivering for his ‘Curry in a Hurry’ in Highbury in north London when he was lured to a block of flats with a takeaway order over the phone on May 21, 1997 and hacked.
Police and paramedics were called and Mr Samad was taken to hospital, but died three hours later from several stab wounds.
His daughters, both now grown up, went on to study at Queen Mary’s University in Mile End.
Tahmin 22, graduated last summer and now works with Oxfam in the Third World on poverty relief. Youngest daughter Tasmin, 19, is studying for her bio-chemistry degree.
“They express sadness that their father is not able to share in their achievements,” the family said in a statement after today’s sentence.
“Tahmin wanted to make her father proud of her graduation last summer. She has grieved during much of her life and has felt his absence in every way.
“Tasmin also feels upset and angry that she has been denied knowing her father—she is a spitting image of him and is often stopped in the street by people who knew him and feels the enormous hole in her life.”
Kamal’s “generosity of spirit” stayed with him until his last moments, warning a woman bystander to stay away as the men who were attacking him were dangerous.
“Few would have the courage to try and protect others while under such a barbaric attack,” the family added.
“It takes someone with a lot of ‘heart’ to do this in his dying moments—but that is how we remember our son, brother and friend, as one of the most honourable of any of us, putting the safety of others before himself.”
But there was “not a single day that passes when the violent way he died is not in our thoughts—we have nightmares over the horror of his death”.
Rahman was finally extradited from the US in January and arrested when his flight touched down at Heathrow.
Det Sgt Nick Miller said after the Rahman’s Life sentence was handed out: “It has taken many years, but the jury convicted Rahman for his part in this murder. Kamal’s family have never given up hope of seeing those who killed him brought before the courts.”
Rahman was convicted with DNA and fingerprint evidence. Accomplice Mohiuddin Bablu, who had fled to Bangladesh, was brought back to justice in 2012 and given Life for murder.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here