Accused denies Junaid murder

A MAN accused of gunning down a shop worker in Chadderton has told a court he didn’t do it — and was “helping a friend” involved in another shooting at the time of the murder.

Drug-dealer Milad Finn (23), of Lauriston Close, Sharston, Wythenshawe, denies killing Junaid Khan, who died after being shot 16 times in July, 2009.

Mr Khan was gunned down just after midnight in Block Lane.

The Mitsubishi Shogun the killer used was abandoned and burned out in near-by Fold Green.

Mr Finn said that although he was in Fold Green that night he knew nothing of the car.

Manchester Crown Court heard that an associate of Mr Finn’s — named as Aymen Benkhalifa — was involved in a separate shooting in Preston that night.

Mr Finn said that, while he was in Fold Green, he taped up the window of the BMW M3 Mr Benkhalifa had been driving, which was smashed in the Preston shooting.

Mr Finn said he knew nothing of Junaid’s murder until he saw it on TV at a Cheshire gym the next morning.

The prosecution have claimed that Junaid Khan, of Cotton Mill Crescent, Werneth, was involved in a feud with Shazad Khan and his brothers, Liaquat Khan, who is on trial, and Kashif Khan, who has been acquitted.

It is alleged that Milad Finn is an associate of theirs.

Mr Finn is alleged to have transferred to a Vauxhall Astra as a getaway car after the Shogun was abandoned and set alight.

It is alleged that he asked car hire boss Ian Cole if he could burn-out the vehicle, later offering him £50,000 not to come to court.

Mr Finn denied ever renting the vehicle or asking if he could set the car on fire.

Stuart Denney QC, defending, asked him: “Did you play any part in the shooting of Junaid Khan?” “No,” said Mr Finn.

Liaquat Khan (26), of Worcester Street, Oldham, and Naveed Shabir (28), of Coppice Street, Oldham, also deny murder.

Proceeding