Cabbie stabbed wife after ‘visit ban lifted’, court hears. From Asia News.UK
February 25, 2009
A TAXI driver stabbed his wife to death just days after his second arrest for allegedly abusing her, a court has been told.
Sabina Akhtar was murdered by Malik Mannan within five days of police cancelling bail conditions which banned him from contacting her, Manchester Crown Court heard.
Mr Mannan had been arrested for defying those conditions – imposed after Sabina told police she had been attacked by him as many as 25 times, the jury heard.
Sabina, 26, the mother of their three-year-old son, was found dead at the family home in Charlton Road, Levenshulme.
She died from a single stab wound to her chest which penetrated her heart. Mr Mannan, 36, of Meldon Road, Longsight, denies murder, claiming he acted in self-defence.
Sabina, from Bangladesh, had an arranged marriage with Mr Mannan, who was divorced, the court heard.
She became upset when she found he was having an affair with a woman she called his `other wife’ and with whom Mr Mannan had two young children, the jury was told.
But Sabina decided to `suffer in silence’ and stay with him.
After marrying in Bangladesh in 2003, Sabina learned of the affair in 2005.
Despite assurances it was over, Mr Mannan kept seein the woman, said prosecutor Paul Reid.
He said Mr Mannan subjected Sabina to a catalogue of threats and attacks – and last July she called police. But `owing to her confusion and language difficulties, no formal complaint was recorded’.
The next day, Mr Mannan slapped their son and he burned the marriage certificate, the jury was told.
The court heard he grabbed Sabina’s throat and ordered her to read passages from the Koran. “This is your final hour,” he is alleged to have told her.
The jury was also told he said to Sabina: “I am going to get a knife and when I return I am going to slaughter you.”
Sabina made a second complaint to police and Mr Mannon was arrested that day and later released on bail, on condition he did not approach his wife or go to their home.
But the Crown says he continued to harass Sabina and was arrested on September 7 for defying his bail conditions.
The jury was told Mr Mannan was arrested after he put his hand through the letter box and shouted to Sabina to open the door.
After he was released without charge and his bail conditions cancelled, the court heard he sent a text to Sabina boasting: “I am a free man since 1.30. Case file closed. Isn’t it great?”
Mr Mannan’s family told police on September 12 they hadn’t heard from him, so officers broke into Sabina’s home and found her dead.
