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A teenage asylum seeker has been locked up for life after he travelled more than 150 miles and killed a man in a 'savage' knife attack because he had been messaging his cousin's wife.
Sulaiman Tajzai, 18, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey earlier this month to the murder of 26-year-old Farmanullah Sherzad.
CCTV footage shows Tajzai buying a knife at a shop near his home in Leeds on March 27 before he travelled all the way to Mr Sherzad's address in Westminster to kill him.
asserted
he → see → him
Today, Judge Angela Rafferty KC sentenced him to life with a minimum term of 25 years for murder and possession of a knife.
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KC → sentence → knife
The Old Bailey judge said he had hunted Mr Sherzad down 'like prey', and subjected him to an 'exceptionally violent' and 'savage' attack in public, stabbing him at least 10 times, she said.
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she → say → him
Tajzai had developed a 'personal grudge' towards Mr Sherzad believing – falsely – that he was in the Taliban and had stalked his cousin's wife with the intention of having sex with her.
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he → develop → her
The court was told the Taliban had previously kidnapped the defendant's father and was suspected of killing him.
However, in victim impact statements, Mr Sherzad's loved ones described him as a 'friendly, polite, respectful person who was always well mannered and tolerant'.
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who → tell → person
Sulaiman Tajzai, 18, has been sentenced to life with a minimum term of 25 years for the murder of 26-year-old Farmanullah Sherzad
Mr Sherzad, 26, was ambushed outside his home by Tajzai and chased down in the streets.
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Sherzad → sentence → streets
He was stabbed to death on Abbey Orchard Road and died at 10.35pm on March 27
Security camera footage showed a scuffle near Mr Sherzad's house, and that he ran 'screaming for his life' as Tajzai attacked him, Lisa Wilding KC said
The court heard how he loved cricket, was a 'very good fast bowler' and was also hard-working, often working six or seven days a week.
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he → stab → cricket
Prosecutor Lisa Wilding KC said Tajzai had claimed to be aged 14 when he entered the UK in August 2022, going on to claim asylum the following year.
uncertain
he → say → asylum
Frida Hussain, KC, defending, said he was suffering post traumatic stress disorder from exposure to frequent violence in his village and the death of relatives.
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he → defend → relatives
In March this year, then aged 18, he killed Mr Sherzad outside his home in Westminster after his family were told by police the victim would not be charged with stalking his cousin's wife.
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victim → kill → wife
In October last year, police had attended the home of the Tajzai's cousin and wife in Leeds, and found Mr Sherzad sitting on the floor with his wrists tied together with fabric and no shoes on.
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shoes → attend → fabric
Mr Sherzad was arrested on suspicion of stalking and trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence, the court heard.
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court → arrest → offence
However, he went on to tell police he was in a relationship with the wife who had invited him to visit her in Leeds via social media platform Snapchat, the court was told.
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court → go → platform
Following his release, Tajzai's cousin and his wife contacted the police multiple times and were later told there would be 'no further action' against Mr Sherzad.
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cousin → follow → Sherzad
In January, Tajzai travelled to London to carry out reconnaissance near the convenience store where Mr Sherzad worked in south London and his home address.
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Sherzad → travel → London
On the day of the killing, he armed himself with a kitchen knife and travelled by train from Leeds to London.
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he → arm → London
He was caught on CCTV arriving at London's King's Cross station wearing a medical facemask, a distinctive jacket and dark gloves and was tracked on footage walking across London before reaching Mr Sherzad's home in Abbey Orchard Street.
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He → catch → Street
Mr Sherzad left work at 10pm and cycled home where Tajzai was waiting for him.
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Tajzai → leave → him
He arrived 15 minutes later, and security camera footage showed a scuffle near Mr Sherzad's house, and that he ran 'screaming for his life' as Tajzai attacked him, Lisa Wilding KC said.
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Wilding → arrive → him
Tajzai then ran away from the scene and dropped a pair of black gloves near St James' Park.
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Tajzai → run → Park
Mr Sherzad's blood was found on the gloves and DNA inside them was linked to Tajzai, forensic investigators found.
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investigators → find → Tajzai
Mr Sherzad suffered several stab wounds and died 20 minutes later despite the efforts of medical staff.
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Sherzad → suffer → staff
The murderer tried to catch a train back to Leeds from King's Cross station; however, he missed it and got onto another one just after 6am the following day.
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he → try → am
He was arrested at his cousin's house in Leeds on March 29, and police officers searched the address, seizing multiple items belonging to him, including a pair of blood-stained trainers.
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officers → arrest → trainers
CCTV footage revealed that Tajzai had travelled to London in the weeks before the attack to scope out Mr Sherzad's home address and where he worked, the police said.
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police → reveal → address
Jurors also heard Tajzai briefly spoke with the shopkeeper who sold him the knife
Irshad Ahmed, who worked behind the till, said in a statement: ‘I know most of the customers of the shop because they are mostly local people.
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they → hear → shop
‘I asked him, “Are you Pashto?”
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you → ask → him
He said yes.
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He → say → ?
I asked him this question in Pashto language, and he replied in Pashto.
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he → ask → Pashto
‘I asked him, “Are you new in this area?”
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you → ask → area
He said, “Yes, I was accommodated in this area by social housing.”
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I → say → housing
‘I asked if he wanted a cup of tea but he said no,’ adding: ‘When he was in the shop he was normal.’
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he → ask → shop
Afghan refugee Tajzai was seen buying a knife in Leeds before murdering a man his family accused of stalking in London
In a statement issued after Tajzai pleaded guilty, Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley, who led the investigation, said: 'This is a devastating case in which a young man lost his life after being subjected to a brutal and senseless act of violence.
'
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man → see → violence
No family should have to endure the pain of losing a loved one in such circumstances.'
Passing sentence, the judge said: ‘In the months before this date the jury heard evidence that you had stalked Mr Sherzad and had travelled to London to do reconnaissance as to where he lived and worked.
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he → have → reconnaissance
‘On one of these occasions, you followed him and found out his daily routine.
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you → follow → routine
You were effectively stalking him down like prey.
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You → stalk → prey
‘You had a grudge against him based on a false suggestion of misconduct towards a female you are connected with.
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you → have → female
‘It is not said on your behalf, nor could it be, that you had any justifiable or excusable grievance against this man.'
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you → say → man
The judge continued: ‘Mr Sherzad’s last moments were spent in terror and anguish that can only be imagined.
‘This was an exceptionally violent knife attack Mr Sherzad suffered at least 10 external stab wounds together with multiple deep slash wounds to the face, neck, chest, back and arms.'
In a statement, the victim’s family said: 'We as a family are utterly devastated and heartbroken by the sudden and horrific murder of Farmanullah.
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We → continue → Farmanullah
His life was taken from him in the most cruel and senseless circumstances, leaving a void that can never be filled.
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that → take → void
…and 8 more, not listed.
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