‘MURDER AT THE ALLOTMENT’
Gran throttled by fellow gardener and locked in shed, jurors told
A WIDOW was strangled on her allotment by a fellow gardener using a lawnmower cord, a court heard yesterday.
Gran Lea Adri-Soejoko, 80, was allegedly murdered by Rahim Mohammadi, which he denies.
She was found in a shed, still in her wellies. Jurors were told the killing took “cold-blooded deliberation”.
She was beaten up. That points to a motive for her murder JOHN PRICE PROSECUTOR AT OLD BAILEY YESTERDAY
LEA Adri-Soejoko was murdered in a cold-blooded act to stop her reporting a horrific assault by her alleged attacker, a court heard.
Rahim Mohammadi, 41, is accused of strangling the 80-year-old widow with a lawnmower cord on the allotment she used and leaving her body in a shed.
Lea had suffered fractured ribs and bruises to her face in the alleged assault before being throttled, jurors heard.
Prosecutor John Price QC told the Old Bailey: “Whereas the killing was carried out with cold-blooded deliberation, the other blunt force injuries speak of a more spontaneous use of violence.
“In a phrase, she was beaten up. That points to a motive for her murder… to avoid detection for a shocking and very serious assault on a vulnerable old lady.
“Using the starter cord of a lawnmower as a ligature, someone had strangled Lea Adri-Soejoko to death.
“Given that the ligature had still been attached to the mower, it must be that where she was found is where she was murdered. It means that the assault upon her leading to her death must first have rendered her in a defenceless condition, in order for someone to be able to put her there.
“Defenceless, though still alive, enabling the killer to position her on the floor in the shed, close to the mower, where she was then strangled using its starter cord.”
Lea’s family and friends had raised the alarm after the grandmother failed to turn up at an allotment society meeting on February 27 last year.
Her body was found by police early next day with the wire still wrapped around her neck. The building had been locked from the outside with no signs of a disturbance.
Lea, wearing Wellington boots and an apron under her raincoat, was discovered lying in a straight line on a wooden pallet in the middle of the floor.
As an allotment committee member, Mohammadi was one of only a few who had the key to the shed. Lea’s set were still in her coat but her house keys have never been recovered. Mr Price added: “Mrs Adri-Soejoko was murdered, it is submitted, by another plot-holder and furthermore one who had a key to the mower shed.”
The prosecutor said DNA from the defendant was discovered on the part of cord he allegedly used to strangle her.
There was no evidence of any sexual assault and the prosecution do not claim the murder had a sexual motive.
Lea and Mohammadi were both members of the Colindale Allotment Association in North West London.
Mr Price told the court Lea had a “passion” for her plot, which was a short walk from the home where she lived with her granddaughter.
Despite her advancing years, she was said to be in very good health and led a “full and active life”.
Mohammadi got his plot on the allotment in 2013, jurors heard.
Mr Price told them: “He was a very keen and active user of his and therefore a very frequent visitor.
“Indeed it might be said that it was also a passion of his.
“He was very well known to many of the other plot holders and, of course, to Mrs Adri-Soejoko.
“On that afternoon he was on, or around, the area of the Colindale allotment site for more than five hours. He was twice seen on the allotment.”
CCTV also showed him in the area, and he caught the tube home at 5.48pm, the court heard.
Mohammadi, of Hackney, East London denies murder.
The trial continues.