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Shafilea Ahmed death: sister lied to police to cover for parents Shafilea Ahmed death: sister lied to police to cover for parents
(10 months later)
Shafilea Ahmed's sister told a jury that she lied to police investigating the teenager's disappearance nine years ago as she was "covering up" for her parents.Shafilea Ahmed's sister told a jury that she lied to police investigating the teenager's disappearance nine years ago as she was "covering up" for her parents.
Alesha Ahmed, 23, was cross-examined at Chester crown court on Thursday, where her parents Iftikhar Ahmed, a 52-year-old taxi driver, and her mother Farzana, 49, are on trial for murdering Shafilea, who was 17.Alesha Ahmed, 23, was cross-examined at Chester crown court on Thursday, where her parents Iftikhar Ahmed, a 52-year-old taxi driver, and her mother Farzana, 49, are on trial for murdering Shafilea, who was 17.
She disappeared in September 2003 and her badly decomposed remains were found by a flooded river in Cumbria five months later. But it was not until 2010 that her younger sister provided police with the "final piece" of the jigsaw about her death, the prosecution says, following a robbery Alesha staged at the family home in Warrington, Cheshire. She told police that she witnesseed her parents killing Shafilea.She disappeared in September 2003 and her badly decomposed remains were found by a flooded river in Cumbria five months later. But it was not until 2010 that her younger sister provided police with the "final piece" of the jigsaw about her death, the prosecution says, following a robbery Alesha staged at the family home in Warrington, Cheshire. She told police that she witnesseed her parents killing Shafilea.
Passages from her police interview at the age of 15 were read to the jury. She told detectives she woke at 7am and saw that her sister was gone and a bag was missing. She went on to say she did not think her parents had caused any harm to Shafilea.Passages from her police interview at the age of 15 were read to the jury. She told detectives she woke at 7am and saw that her sister was gone and a bag was missing. She went on to say she did not think her parents had caused any harm to Shafilea.
Tom Bayliss QC, who is defending her father, said: "You were telling the truth, weren't you?"Tom Bayliss QC, who is defending her father, said: "You were telling the truth, weren't you?"
"No," she replied. "I was 15 years old and I was scared of my parents and had just witnessed a murder, actually.""No," she replied. "I was 15 years old and I was scared of my parents and had just witnessed a murder, actually."
"Nobody would expect to see [Shafilea] back if they had seen a murder happen," he said. "But it didn't happen, did it?""Nobody would expect to see [Shafilea] back if they had seen a murder happen," he said. "But it didn't happen, did it?"
"It did happen and we all saw it," she said."It did happen and we all saw it," she said.
Asked if she knew where her sister was, she had replied that Shafilea was dead. "But I was not telling the truth," she told the court. "I was covering up for my parents."Asked if she knew where her sister was, she had replied that Shafilea was dead. "But I was not telling the truth," she told the court. "I was covering up for my parents."
Repeatedly questioned about the lead-up to the robbery, Ahmed refused to go into detail about the motive or those involved.Repeatedly questioned about the lead-up to the robbery, Ahmed refused to go into detail about the motive or those involved.
The jury were read a series of text messages she sent. One said: "I'm in Birmingham and can't go until I pay off money because I done dodgy shit and fucked up. I need her to lend it to me, come and get me." Bayliss said that "her" was a reference to Farzana and that the money owed was around £3,900.The jury were read a series of text messages she sent. One said: "I'm in Birmingham and can't go until I pay off money because I done dodgy shit and fucked up. I need her to lend it to me, come and get me." Bayliss said that "her" was a reference to Farzana and that the money owed was around £3,900.
Alesha replied that she was not in a position to say why she needed the money. "It is something which is sensitive to me that I'm still dealing with and I am getting a lot of therapy for it," she said.Alesha replied that she was not in a position to say why she needed the money. "It is something which is sensitive to me that I'm still dealing with and I am getting a lot of therapy for it," she said.
Asked about the "dodgy" part of the message, she said Bayliss was taking it out of context.Asked about the "dodgy" part of the message, she said Bayliss was taking it out of context.
He accused her of lying in order to avoid "a very, very long prison sentence." She replied: "I'm not deciding the sentence. I actually asked to be sentenced before this trial, but the judge said he wouldn't. At the end of the day I'm here for justice for my sister."He accused her of lying in order to avoid "a very, very long prison sentence." She replied: "I'm not deciding the sentence. I actually asked to be sentenced before this trial, but the judge said he wouldn't. At the end of the day I'm here for justice for my sister."
Bayliss accused her of lying about the robbery and failing to tell the police who her accomplices were. He said that she was expecting the jury to believe what she was telling them about her parents, but that "time and again" she had been telling lies.Bayliss accused her of lying about the robbery and failing to tell the police who her accomplices were. He said that she was expecting the jury to believe what she was telling them about her parents, but that "time and again" she had been telling lies.
She replied: "I think it's actually ridiculous that I am on the stand and that my parents don't have the guts to say what they have done. They are putting me through all this. I have been very kind to them. I've been fair to them in everything I have said." She added that she told the police that the murder wasn't about Shafilea being forced into an arranged marriage.She replied: "I think it's actually ridiculous that I am on the stand and that my parents don't have the guts to say what they have done. They are putting me through all this. I have been very kind to them. I've been fair to them in everything I have said." She added that she told the police that the murder wasn't about Shafilea being forced into an arranged marriage.
"I have not told a lie," she said. "I have said that I have come here to be fair. I think it's out of order that I am being put through this because they can't tell the truth themselves.""I have not told a lie," she said. "I have said that I have come here to be fair. I think it's out of order that I am being put through this because they can't tell the truth themselves."
In the days leading up to the robbery, Alesha, who was a full-time student, was awash with money and £6,500 was paid into one of her bank accounts.In the days leading up to the robbery, Alesha, who was a full-time student, was awash with money and £6,500 was paid into one of her bank accounts.
She claimed the money had been saved up through her job working at a petrol station and from earning money doing hair extensions, and saving money on rent after moving in with a boyfriend.She claimed the money had been saved up through her job working at a petrol station and from earning money doing hair extensions, and saving money on rent after moving in with a boyfriend.
"I was putting people off to try and stop the robbery," she told the court. "Where I was living, people were turning up there. I got myself into a mess and I was having to pay people off.""I was putting people off to try and stop the robbery," she told the court. "Where I was living, people were turning up there. I got myself into a mess and I was having to pay people off."
Bayliss accused her of being evasive and avoiding naming her accomplices. "I don't know who they are," she replied. "If I knew who they were I would be able to help myself a lot more."Bayliss accused her of being evasive and avoiding naming her accomplices. "I don't know who they are," she replied. "If I knew who they were I would be able to help myself a lot more."
She admitted lying to police when she told them that a sum of £2,000 that had been paid out one of her bank accounts had gone to charity. "It was a ridiculous lie. It should not have been told really," she said.She admitted lying to police when she told them that a sum of £2,000 that had been paid out one of her bank accounts had gone to charity. "It was a ridiculous lie. It should not have been told really," she said.
"It's another ridiculous lie isn't it?" the defence barrister asked her."It's another ridiculous lie isn't it?" the defence barrister asked her.
"It's a ridiculous lie, yes.""It's a ridiculous lie, yes."
Alesha has previously told Chester crown court that she witnessed her parents jointly holding down her sister and forcing a carrier bag into her mouth following an argument with her mother about Western clothing.Alesha has previously told Chester crown court that she witnessed her parents jointly holding down her sister and forcing a carrier bag into her mouth following an argument with her mother about Western clothing.
The trial continues.The trial continues.
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