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UK: An Iraqi Kurd gambler 'tortured
Bradford student for his bank details'
28.7.2010
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Two
Kurds charged with Bradford student murder
July
28, 2010
BRADFORD, UK, — An Iraqi Kurd gambler
and his accomplice in Bradford tortured the son of a
wealthy Hong Kong couple in a ruthless attempt to
get his bank details before stabbing him to death, a
court heard yesterday.
Reaben Kareem, 20, and his "willing helper" Jwanru
Osman are accused of attacking Bradford University
student Siu Tung Ho, known as Tony, in his home
earlier this year after Kareem tricked his way in.
Opening the case, Paul Greaney, QC, told the jury at
Bradford Crown Court "the principal motivation for
these crimes was money". |
Bradford Crown Court heard that money was the
principal motivation. Yorkshire Post photo. |
In January Kareem was in financial difficulties, had
a gambling problem and was "desperate for money", he
said.
He had taken £920 from his father's bank account and
was under huge pressure from his sister to repay it
immediately.
Mr Greaney said that it was against this background
that Kareem plotted the robbery and recruited Osman.
Kareem, an Iraqi Kurd of no fixed address but who
previously lived in Walsall, and Osman, 20, of
Northolt, Middlesex, both deny murdering 19-year-old
Mr Ho, who was studying chemistry and forensic
science.
Kareem has pleaded guilty to three counts including
robbery and wounding with intent to cause grievous
bodily harm to Tony Ho's older sister, Siu Luen Ho,
22, and her 30-year-old boyfriend, Gavin Stolarczyk.
Osman, who is from Kurdistan and who was 19 at the
time of the alleged events, has pleaded conspiracy
to commit robbery but denies the other charges.
The court heard Kareem had got to know Siu Luen Ho,
known as Sally, through his girlfriend (H.H.)
who had lived at Ms Ho's home in Grantham Road,
Little Horton, and who had been her friend before
they fell out.
Mr Greaney said that after tricking his way into the
house on January 22, Kareem smashed a vodka bottle
over Miss Ho's head before ordering Osman to bind
her to a chair and gag her.
Later, Mr Greaney said, Mr Stolarczyk was attacked
from behind and stabbed. He said Kareem told him:
"All I want is £10,000 and I have a plane ticket
back to my country tomorrow morning."
The worst violence was reserved, however, for Mr Ho,
the prosecutor told the jury.
"What precisely happened to Tony Ho is known only to
the accused men but you can be sure that both
accused bear criminal responsibility for his
murder...
"Tony Ho was in fact stabbed many times as a result
of which he died. The accused men subsequently had
possession of Tony Ho's bank access details,www.ekurd.netdetails
that could only have been obtained from Tony Ho
himself.
Osman later handed himself in and told a police
officer: "He (Kareem) planned all this. He based it
on the film Hostel. He was so calm. He planned
everything. He was just slashing him with the knife
so calmly...I can't believe he took somebody's life
for £6,000."
The trial continues.
Copyright, respective
author or news agency,
yorkshirepost co.uk
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