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Widow denies being afraid
THE widow of a man allegedly shot dead in an honour killing denied yesterday she was afraid of two of her brothers who are accused of arranging the murder.
Yasmin Shahid also denied changing her account in evidence to Leeds Crown Court from that given to the police, because of pressure since from members of her family.
The jury has heard her husband Mian Shahid Mehmood was shot twice in the back at a country lane near Halifax on February 11 last year.
The prosecution claim the killing was arranged by her brothers Arza Khan and Tahir Mahmood who disapproved of the relationship and allegedly hired three men from Sheffield to carry it out.
Mrs Shahid earlier in evidence said her brothers had not hit her and that she had only told that to the police when she was confused and upset following her husband's death and under pressure from her in-laws.
Tom Bayliss QC, prosecuting, suggested she was now trying not to say anything against her brothers.
"Whenever there is anything about you being afraid of your brothers or being hit by your brothers you say it is not true," he asked.
"No I am telling you the truth now," replied the witness. "Why would I be standing in this witness box here. I'm not afraid, what are they going to do to me."
Mr Bayliss suggested she had told a police family liaison officer a couple of days after her brother Arza was charged with murder that her father had asked her to withdraw her statement and was using emotional pressure on her.
Mrs Shahid said she did not talk to her father and had not said that to the officer.
Arza Khan, 27, Tahir Mahmood, 22, both of Parkinson Lane, Halifax, and Sam Lee, 30, of Deerlands Avenue, John Reeves, 54, of Adlington Road and Naveed Mahmood, 23, of Granville Road, all Sheffield, each deny the murder of Mr Mehmood, 29.
The trial continues on Monday.
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North west
