Witness to Ilford shooting denies withholding vital evidence, court hears

An eyewitness to the fatal shooting of Abdi Sheikhey was yesterday accused of telling a pack of lies under oath.

On March 21 this year, Abdi, 19, was gunned down in a hired black Mercedes E250, on Woodlands Road, Ilford, at 10.03pm.

The other two men in the car, Arif Miah, who had hired the car, and Guhel Khan, who was sitting in the rear passenger seat, escaped without injury.

Now Suleman Mohamed, 20, and Sami Omar, 21, both of Kingston Road, Ilford, and Jordi Kibusi, 20, of Wisteria Close, Ilford, are on trial at the Old Bailey accused of murder.

At court yesterday, when Arif gave evidence, it was revealed that he had recently been stabbed for the second time this year.

The jury heard that Arif, who had hired the Mercedes at a cost of £200 per week, told the police that he “wasn’t afraid” of the murderer in an interview following the shooting.

In a dramatic confrontation, the prosecution lawyer for Mr Omar suggested that he was withholding vital evidence, which the witness denied.

He said: “I’m going to suggest that you know who really shot Abdi.

“And you know that it wasn’t one of the defendants.

“You have lied and lied and lied about what was happening.”

He accused Arif, who attended the same school as Jordi and Sami, of being involved in crime around Ilford, which the witness also denied.

It was revealed that Abdi, who had been in a knife fight the night before the shooting, had also been stabbed in January.

Arif, who was friends with Abdi, said he had no idea why the 19-year-old was targeted by the gunman.

All three deny the charges and the trial continues.