Hardwood timber Two men have been convicted of the murder of a 26-year-old man in Newham following a thorough investigation by the Met’s Specialist Crime team that saw one of the perpetrators extradited back from Europe.
Muhammad Saqib Khan, 23 (21.01.01) of Walton Road, Manor Park and Muhammad Samiyul Miah, 18 (04.02.06) of Jack Cornwell Street, Manor Park, were both found guilty of the murder of Anselam Senaj at the conclusion of a 14-week trial at the Old Bailey on Monday, 13 January.
They were also found guilty of possession of a knife.
Ibrahim Naim 18, (21.07.06) of Clacton Road, East Ham and Zain Ali, 21 (27.03.03) of Poulett Road, East Ham were both convicted of manslaughter.
Anselam was killed after being stabbed inside a car at the junction of Victoria Avenue and Grangewood Street in Newham, at around 22:10hrs on Saturday, 11 November 2023.
Despite the efforts of emergency services, he died at the scene.
Detective Sergeant Brett Hagen, who led the investigation, said:
“The sequence of events that night resulted in the tragic death of Anselam Senaj. This gang of men utilised a stolen vehicle to stop the taxi he was travelling in the back of and attacked him – murdering him in cold-blood in a matter of seconds.
“A thorough and detailed investigation was conducted and implicated the suspects in this crime. Despite the assertion from Muhammad Saqib Khan in the witness box that he was at home playing board games that evening, the jury saw through these lies and convicted him and others present in the vehicle that night.
“I’d like to thank the family of Mr Senaj for remaining patient as the trial played out over several weeks.”
On 22 November 2023, warrants were issued at various addresses in London and Miah, Ali and Naim were arrested. All were charged with murder later that night.
Saqib Khan was identified as a further suspect in the killing. He fled to Amsterdam after the incident and the Met sought positive charging advice in his absence, instigating an international manhunt for him.
After extensive enquiries by the Met’s investigative team and following work with international law enforcement partners, Khan was arrested on 4 December 2023 by Dutch authorities.
He was returned to the UK, after being extradited from The Netherlands, on 12 January 2024 and taken into custody, where he was charged with murder and possession of a knife.
The court heard the evidence from the drugs subsequently found on Mr Senaj and the messages received from his phone that he was involved in drug dealing.
All those convicted were remanded in custody ahead of sentencing at the Old Bailey on Friday, 14 March.