My son’s killer is walking free
Reporter: MARINA BERRY and LEWIS JONES
Date published: 04 August 2011
Father’s fury as trial comes to nothing
THE distraught father of Junaid Khan has said his son’s killer is still walking free after the men accused of his murder were acquitted yesterday.
Shop worker Junaid was gunned down in Block Lane, Chadderton, in July, 2009. He was only 21-years-old.
At the conclusion of a lengthy trial at Manchester Crown Court, three of the accused — Liaquat Khan (29), of Worcester Street, Werneth; Naveed Shabir (28), of Coppice Street, Werneth; and Milad Finn (23), of Cheadle Hulme; were all found not guilty by a unanimous jury.
At the time of his death, grieving father Mumtaz Khan rallied the family to stage a high-profile appeal to find his son’s killers.
Speaking to the Oldham Chronicle, Mr Khan said: “If they are not the murderers, then who killed Junaid?
“His killer is still walking free.
“Everyone in Werneth is now worried for their own safety.”
He added he did not know what to do with himself and simply couldn’t comprehend the outcome.
Mr Khan did say, however, that he still believed in the British justice system.
He praised police for doing their best and bringing evidence before the courts.
It was alleged the men had shot Junaid following a long-running feud, but all denied murder.
A fourth defendant, Kashif Khan (26) — brother of Liaquat — was allowed to walk free last month after the judge directed the jury to find him not guilty in light of prosecution evidence.
Cries of relief echoed from the public gallery as family members of the accused greeted the verdict as the jury returned from five hours’ deliberation.
But it was a dark day for Junaid’s father.
He added: “I couldn’t sleep at all last night. All the family is very upset and worried.
“People were coming to my shop last night asking what they could do.
“It’s a terrible blow, no-one can accept it.
“My son was an ordinary shopworker who worked hard for five years from 10am to 6pm. He was killed in a brutal way.
“Junaid’s killers will not get away from God.”
During the trial, which started in late June, Mr Finn was accused of using a Mac-10 machine to fire 16v bullets at Junaid and using spy-style equipment to stalk him.
However, he maintained he knew nothing about the killing and was helping a pal involved in another shooting at the time on July 9, 2009.
Defendant Naveed Shabir said evidence connecting him to Mr Finn, and a fingerprint on a bundle of cash uncovered, was linked to a drug deal — not the murder.
Liaquat Khan was one of three brothers said to be involved in petty feud with Khan that spiralled out of control.
He denied a phone said to connect him to the plot was his.
Since Junaid’s death, Mr Khan his since renamed his shop in Lincoln Street in his honour of his son.
