Teenager strangled to death by brother-in-law
A MAN involved in the murder of his teenage brother-in-law for reasons that remain a mystery has been jailed for 20 years.
Najeebullah Nekzad was just 19-years-old when a PCSO making routine enquiries found his body in the passenger seat of a silver Fiat Punto off New Hey Road, near the former Nont Sarah pub, Scammonden, Huddersfield, on August 31, 2019.
Gol Zazai, now 30, was charged with the murder almost two years on and convicted in December last year.
Mr Nekzad’s older brother, Nasrullah, was quizzed by police as a possible suspect but fled to his native Afghanistan and was described by the judge, The Honourable
Mrs Justice Stacey DBE, at Leeds Crown Court as the prime mover in the murder with the defendant very much the accomplice. Zazai was also questioned and later charged with the murder about two years later.
The court was told ligature marks were found on the victim’s neck and that the murder had been a ‘twoman job.’
The three men had all worked at a takeaway restaurant owned by Nasrullah called Chick Corner in Old Street, Ashton-under-Lyne.
The hearing heard Zazai joined Nasrullah Nekzad in a reconnaissance journey the day before the murder.
Prosecuting, James Gelsthorpe, said the murder had a devastating impact on Najeebullah’s family in Afghanistan.
Mr Gelsthorpe said Sayed explained that his son had brought much happiness to his family’s life and they were ‘struggling to come to terms with his brutal murder.’
The court heard a ‘clumsy attempt’ was made to make the death look like a suicide, with empty bottles of whisky and a decoy ligature left in the car with Najeebullah’s body.
The hearing heard Nasrullah took out repatriation and burial insurance in the days before the attack, but there was no clear motive for the murder.
In mitigation, Gordon Cole QC had little to say for his client, who suffers from PTSD and depression.
Sentencing him, Justice Stacey said all efforts to return Nasrullah to the UK had failed. She said: “Nasrullah had carefully planned to murder his brother that day. I find that you were not the one who planned his murder but Nasrullah enlisted you to carry it out. When you were arrested you repeatedly lied about your involvement.”
The judge told the hearing Najeebullah was strangled from behind in the vehicle with a ligature, which was later discarded on the moors.
Jailing him for 20 years she said the 278 days he had spent on remand would be taken into account.