UK & World News
- 25 September 2012, 2:03
Naila Mumtaz Murder: Family Get Life Sentences
Four family members have been jailed for life for killing a pregnant 21-year-old relative they said was possessed by an evil spirit.
Naila Mumtaz, originally from Pakistan, died at her home in Birmingham's Handsworth Wood district in July 2009. She was six months pregnant.
Her husband Mohammed Tauseef Mumtaz, 25, his mother and father, Salma Aslam and Zia Ul Haq, both aged 51, and his brother-in-law, Hammad Hussan, 24, were found guilty of murder after a three-month trial at the city's crown court in July this year
Jurors heard Mumtaz smothered his wife with the help of the other three.
Christopher Hotten QC, prosecuting, said they believed Mrs Mumtaz - who moved to the UK in 2008 after an arranged marriage in Pakistan - was "possessed" by evil spirits known as "jinn".
The court heard Mumtaz claimed his wife's death was "like a suicide".
He said she tried to suffocate herself by putting her hand in her mouth and tried to strangle herself.
Judge Mr Justice Keith, sitting at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday, told Mumtaz he would serve a minimum of 13 years behind bars for the killing.
His parents were given minimum terms of 15 years each, while Hussan was also imprisoned for at least 13 years.
Mrs Mumtaz's family said in a statement afterwards: "Naila was a happy, confident, beautiful woman.
"She came to Britain to be with her husband. We entrusted our most treasured beloved only daughter to him and his family."
Detective Inspector Simon Astle, who investigated the murder, said: "This was a tragic and deeply upsetting case, where a young woman had her life so horrifically ended by those she loved and trusted.
"Naila was a pretty, outgoing young woman who was soon to become a mother for the first time. It is unthinkable that those who she was closest to would take her life in the belief that she had been possessed by evil spirits.
"Naila should now be enjoying the joys of motherhood and family life but instead her family back in Pakistan continue to mourn her death, still shocked and unbelieving that the family she entered into caused her death."
what do you think?
ali baba
Third world countries. Today I read that an African church in England was stopping people taking medicine for aids as they were saying they could cure them. Whether its royalty, governmetns, religions or now the new master corporations. Someone will always be there to pull the wool over your eyes to take ur money.
Stuart Harley
.IMPRISIONED FOR LIFE..........GOOD !!!!
Russell Beaumont
What disturbs me is the fact that the government is negotiating with Muslim communities for the right to govern themselves in some of our cities. Lets just hope this never comes about.
ali baba
why do you take such offense when citizens of this country, want there on little corner. years of imperialism has lead this country to have a diverse community. you spread democracy and freedom of speech around the world, but on your own doors you complain. make up your mind russel beaumont the third:)
Russell Beaumont
Hey Ali just because we let nearly 3 million of you lot into this country doesn't mean we are going to be governed by 5th century ideaology We'd rather be governed by our own fools
ali baba
russel said it before, just give us Devon, Cornwall and Wales and we can live peacefully side by side. sounds fair.
Emma Allum
No. Earn it.
Anthony Smith
Ali...are you not content with Bradford, Birmingham, Leicester, Wolverhampton etc., etc.,then??
ali baba
anthony, would you want bradford or birmingham :) give us south east x
blue side
The very thought of this is offensive I bet if we went to Pakistan they would not let us have rights to self government. It is about time someone stood up and reminded government this is a Christian country with its own traditions and culture if you don't like then move. Birmingham is controlled by Asian fractions. Government ask why the BNP get support not difficult to see is it.
Michael Booth
Originally from Pakistan..... where a recent story on here reported that "rioting against the west" resulted in 18 of their own being killed. Life doesn't seem to be hightly valued there.
stevie may
They believed she was possessed by a Jinn? I wonder what symptoms of demonic possession she displayed? Probably wanted some personal freedom, just like Shafilea who was also murderer by her family. Why are people with 6th century beliefs allowed to live in a 21st century Britain?
Michael Booth
and when they have served their gaol term the should be encouraged to find a more suitable country to live in. I don't know..... say Pakistan!
Jan N Andy Oakley-Hills
Another arranged marriage, ie. girl sold as goods and chattels! This is dark ages mentality, has no place in 21st century, and people who want to carry on this ludicrous beliefs should stay away from our shores, we don't want or need it here!
Michael Booth
Every right minded person agrees with you Jan but (he says sarcastically) we apparently live in a "Multicultural Nation" so if we stopped them doing things like this we would be infringing their Human Rights! 'tis a sick world we live in!!!
ali baba
let me get this straight mr booth, you can go to Ireland set up church of England, make borders and call it northern Ireland. please explain the contradictions and hypocrisy you claim when foreigners come on your soil.
Michael Booth
This comment has been removed for violations of our Terms and Conditions.
Michael Booth
The creation of the Commonwealth was,rightly or wrongly, an attempt to "Civilise" the world. I will admit the the problems caused in NI were based on religious differences but this has been made much better in recent years.
Anthony Smith
Jan..well said. Problem is that most of those who are now undertaking these acts in this country were born within 'our shores'.
blue side
Ali not sure if you can read or have read any history but NI was not taken from the Irish Republic and the divide was again the result of religious divergence going back a few hundred years. Also the Irish are welcome and share our values.
ali baba
blue side your giving a very subjective take on the story. the religious divide is utter rubbish, truth is its English people who have lived there for a while who, then after a few generations bought in the religious factor. its called colonizing a country. amazing how you sweet talk the situation lol. maybe you should start reading over again and use your brain to interpret things properly
Michael Booth
Ali if we hadn't extended our influence over a great part of the world you wouldn't be able to enjoy the life you are able to live in our country and have the ability to express you views on a forum like this. It's OK I don't expect a "Thank you!!"
ali baba
hello Michael. i come from Iran i left in the 1979 revolution. fanatics backed by the CIA were put into place as my king started OPEC and he wanted oil countries to unite. sadly an organized middle east is not on the agenda of the west. in place was put in Khomeini. a radical fanatic. i have lost my country to these nut cases. there is not a day i do not wish i was back home. i thank Britain for refuge in this wonderful country with a great internal social and diverse system. but please don't ask me to thank the foreign policies and imperialism that has in my eyes bought about fanatics gaining power.
Michael Booth
I'm sorry to hear that you had to leave Iran. You, for one, must appreciate the damage that radical islamic extreemism poses to the world as a whole!
ali baba
of course i do, any religious fundamentalism has to be stopped, but at the same time you must agree that this world is very corrupt. all parties and not just the middle east. a good saying in politics "no country has permanent enemies or allies, they only have permanent interests".
Simon .
12:49pm on 24/9/2012
ignorant heathens. It's no wonder parts of the world are in such a state when beliefs like this prevail.
Geoff
1:10pm on 24/9/2012
Ignorant heathens indeed. But alas we can't send them back to the Dark Ages where they belong. Instead we have to pay taxes to keep them in our prisons for the next decade or so.
Mike Anon
1:52pm on 24/9/2012
You are both so right! Well said.
Anthony Smith
8:29pm on 24/9/2012
Well said to all of the above. It's alarming, unbelievable and an utter disgrace that it's happening in this country!