Timeline that ends with 60 years in jail
THE five-week trial revealed killers Muhammed Arif and Rukhsana Bibi were in a secret relationship, despite both of them being married to other people.
Together they conspired for months to exploit Mr Yousaf’s death for their financial gain: MARCH 2016 Mr Yousaf’s home on Craven Street in Accrington is legally transferred to Bibi’s ex-husband - Arif’s brother - as a ‘deed of gift’ which is witnessed by Arif. Mr Yousaf also makes a number of large withdraw- als from his bank account, totalling more than £24,000, which he gives to Arif. APRIL 2016 Bibi divorces her thenhusband and two days later marries Mr Yousaf, who later reports to a social worker that the marriage had been Arif’s idea. JULY 2016 While Mr Yousaf is away on a two-month trip to Pakistan a £244,000 life insurance policy is taken out in his name and activated by Arif pretending to be Mr Yousaf - who was illiterate. SEPTEMBER 15, 2016 Two days before Mr Yousaf is due to return to the UK, Bibi travels to Ireland with his two children where she makes three calls to the landlord of his Granville Road flat over two days, asking him not to go round and collect the rent on September 19, and stating that she had been unable to contact her husband. SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 CCTV footage shows Arif had been on Granville Road for nearly two hours on the night of September 18. It is believed the murder was carried out some time that evening. SEPTEMBER 21, 2016 Mr Yousaf’s landlord discovers his body at the flat. He had suffered ‘catastrophic head injuries’ after being repeatedly hit over the head and his throat had been slashed.
He was likely attacked in his sleep and remained alive for up to two hours after being injured, a postmortem finds.
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER, 2016
Arif is charged with the murder of Mr Yousaf.
A forensic investigation of his Volkswagen Passat identifies Mr Yousaf’s blood on the driver’s seat back rest and Arif’s home is found to contain Mr Yousaf’s will, a divorce document and £25,000 in cash.
A police search of Bibi’s home discovers the life insurance offer and a document containing practice signatures in Mr Yousaf’s name. She is charged with conspiracy to commit murder. JULY 24, 2017 A jury finds Asif and Bibi guilty of Mr Yousaf’s murder. They are sentenced to a total of 60 years behind bars.