Somaliland press

Afghan man kills son of ex-Somali leader

BORAMA (Somalilandpress) — A “REMORSELESS” teenager has been jailed for life for stabbing Hassan Kul Hawadleh to death in Harrow Weald.

Abdul Khan, 19, of no fixed address, had denied killing Mr Hawadleh - who used to study at Harrow College - at High Weald Service Station in High Road at 7.30pm on February 19 last year but was convicted by a jury at the Old Bailey.

The victim, who died from a single fatal stab wound to the heart, was the son of a former prime minister of Somalia and lived in Colindale, north London. He was an engineering student at the University of East London.
Khan was sentenced to life for the murder this morning at the conclusion of the three week trial and was ordered to serve a minimum of 22 years.

He had already admitted to violent disorder and causing grievous bodily harm to Mr Hawadleh’s friend, student Abdiwahab Guiled, 19.

Mr Guiled was stabbed in the buttocks as Mr Hawadleh filled his silver Ford Focus with petrol at the petrol station.

Judge Paul Worsley told Khan, an Afghan refugee, of XXX, that he had destroyed Mr Hawadleh’s life and that of his “respectable, peace-loving family”.

The judge said the attack was in revenge for what Khan perceived was his humiliation in a one-to-one fight three days earlier with Guiled’s cousin..
The judge said: “Abdiwahab was set upon, stabbed deeply in the buttocks. `Not satisfied with that, within moments, you carried out an attack on his friend, who had gone back to help him.
“You stabbed him in the shoulder and then stabbed him through the heart. You have shown no flicker of remorse.”

The judge said Khan fled to France and then Germany following the murder.

Afterwards, Detective Inspector Martin Ludlow, of the Met’s Homicide and Serious Crime Command, said: “Kul was a promising university student with a bright future ahead of him. He has been described to me by the people closest to him as a loving, loyal, bright, and good natured young man who was highly regarded by his family and friends.

“Kul was fatally stabbed as he rushed to the aid of a close friend who was being assaulted. He was left to die on the petrol station forecourt.

“I, along with the investigation team, pay tribute to Kul Hawadleh and all of his friends and family who have shown immense bravery throughout this investigation and long and difficult trial.”

Source: Harrow Observer | Thursday, June 10, 2010