HARRODS KILLER JAILED FOR 27YRS
WEALTHY OMANI STUDENT TARGETED AFTER NIGHT OUT WITH FRIEND
A KNIFEMAN who murdered a wealthy Omani student near London department store Harrods has been jailed for a minimum of 27 years.
Mohammed Al-Araimi, 20, was fatally stabbed in an alleyway during an eight-second altercation after going for dinner with his university friend Nasser Kanoo, now 22.
The King’s College students were attacked from behind by Badir Al-Nazi, 24, and Arseboon Dilbaro, 23, on December 5, 2019, in what police suspected was an attempted robbery.
Mr Al-Araimi, the son of property magnate Sheikh Abdullah Al-Araimi, was wearing a £37,000 Patek Philippe watch at the time of the attack. Mr Kanoo had an £8,000 Rolex on.
Al-Nazi claimed that, minutes before the incident, he asked the friends for a cigarette but Mr Al-Araimi denied his request and insulted him.
Inner London crown court heard this was not supported by evidence.
Mr Al-Araimi was stabbed in the chest. He collapsed beside the Harrods Christmas tree and was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr Kanoo was
stabbed in the hip but recovered from his injury. Kuwaiti citizen Al-Nazi and German national Dilbaro were acquitted of attempted robbery, but a jury found Al-Nazi guilty of murder and wounding Mr Kanoo with intent to do him grievous bodily harm.
Dilbaro was acquitted of murder, manslaughter and having a knife but found guilty of wounding Mr Kanoo by
assisting Al-Nazi when he blocked the victim’s escape, the court heard.
Al-Nazi was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 27 years for murder, eight-years for wounding with intent and six months for possession a knife to be served concurrently.
Judge Usha Karu told him: ‘There is no doubt that you knew full well what you were doing when you used a knife
that evening to murder Mr Al-Araimi and wound Mr Kanoo. In the space of eight seconds a life was lost.’
Dilbaro was sentenced to 33 months in prison for wounding.
In a statement read to the court, Mr Al-Araimi’s brother, Raid, described his sibling as someone who ‘spread joy and kindness to anyone who crossed his path’ and condemned his killing as a ‘cowardly attack’. Mr Kanoo also said in a statement: ‘Never did I imagine that a casual dinner would evolve into the last time I would see my best friend Mohammed or the last time I could call him by his name.
‘I can only hope the offenders realise that action, which lasted a mere eight seconds, has had a grave, detrimental impact on the lives of our loved ones.’