Takeaway driver lured to death in dispute between Asian families

Safrajur Jahangir, 23, was shot twice at close range with a Luger

pistol by a gunman on foot as he sat in the driver's seat of his car.

The victim, who worked in his family's food business, was responding to a bogus curry order and was allegedly killed over a feud between two Asian families in Sheffield.

Jeremy Baker QC, prosecuting, told Sheffield Crown Court that three brothers; Mohim Khan, 36, of Handsworth Road, Sheffield, Mukid Khan, 34, of Ribston Walk, Sheffield and Munaim Khan, 29, of Gainsford Road, Sheffield, arranged to pay a team 15,000 for the killing.

Ironically the gunman Michael Fowler was found dead a week later slumped on a park bench, having apparently died from a heroin overdose.

The brothers, along with Hussain Shafique, 25, Jay Allen, 27, and Saul Mohsin, 21, all deny conspiracy to murder Mr Jahangir, who was shot dead about 10.45pm on Friday, August 28 last year.

Mr Baker said there was a "considerable history of ill-feeling" between the Khan brothers and the victim.

"There came a time when the Khan brothers decided to get rid of Safrajur Jahangir and sought the services of Jay Allen and Saul Mohsin to organise the carrying out of the killing," he said.

It was allegedly a revenge attack after the three brothers were jailed in June 2009 for six months for assaulting Mr Jahangir at his family's business, the Spice Hut in Hillsborough, in September the previous year.

Three weeks after they were released from jail the delivery driver was killed.

Mr Baker said: "This was the direct result of the three brothers seeking revenge for having been prosecuted and eventually imprisoned."

Just a week before the shooting Mr Jahangir's family were delivered an ultimatum that he would be shot if they did not hand over 4,000 in compensation.

The Jahangirs refused to pay the extortion money and a week later the killing took place on Scraithwood Drive in Shirecliffe. Mr Baker said the origins of the dispute between the two families was unclear, but in April 2007 the victim claimed he was assaulted by Mohim Khan and no action was taken by police.

Mohim Khan's home was then burgled in September 2008 and he held Mr Jahangir responsible.

As a result of the burglary the three Khan brothers took direct action, by physically attacking Mr Jahangir at the Spice Hut.

Mr Baker said it was clear that "all three of the Khan brothers were angered at being prosecuted for their attack on the deceased."

A sole photo of Mr Jahangir was later found on a CD rom on Mohim Khan's computer and in May 2009 Mukid Khan withdrew 6,000, allegedly as a downpayment on the 15,000 contract given by the Khans to Allen's team for arranging the killing.

Mr Baker said Hussain Shafique, of Hucklow Road, Firth Park, was an intermediary between the Khan brothers, Allen and Mohsin, of Emerson Crescent, Parson Cross, and was seeking to cover-up the conspiracy.

The trial, which could last up to eight weeks, continues.