Partner reveals ‘threat’ issued days before Yasir Hussain killing
The partner of a delivery driver believed to be the intended victim of an attack said he had received a threat to his life days before his cousin’s murder, a court heard.
The woman told Birmingham Crown Court she had heard Morrad Hussain, who she had been in a relationship with for around 12 years, had been informed of the threat by a family member by phone.
Father-of-four Yasir Hussain was fatally knifed in the back as he tried to flee from the Golden City restaurant in Central Drive, Lower Gornal, after the car he was in was rammed by a van.
The driver of the car, Morrad, who the jury heard is believed to have been the intended victim, escaped up an alleyway.
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Nabeel Choudhary, 21, and Akarsh Tasleem, 24, are charged with murdering 34-year-old Yasir outside the takeaway on December 4 last year.
Giving evidence behind a screen at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday, Morrad’s partner said she had been concerned about Morrad after she heard he had received a death threat.
She said: “I did not know much about tensions. I never knew much about any fall outs, I never really asked him [Morrad] about it. Morrad used to be worried but he used to get on with his day-to-day life.
“The first time I ever heard about a threat to his life was the Saturday before Yasir’s death. All I know is that one of his family members had phoned Morrad making him aware of it [the threat]. I was very concerned about the whole situation.” She told the court she had joined her partner on his deliveries that evening – but had left at 9pm and suggested he ask his cousin Yasir to join him.
She said: “He [Morrad] was working as a delivery driver for Golden City. I did go out with him on deliveries and it would normally be in the evenings, after work.
“He went about his deliveries that evening [December 4] and I went with him. He was looking over his shoulder a little bit.
“I wanted to go home at about 9pm. I wanted him to have someone with him and I suggested he phoned Yasir, his cousin. I got in my car and left – we left at the same time as he went to pick Yasir up. I received a call later later to say Morrad had been attacked.”
Choudhary, of Hope Street, West Bromwich, and Tasleem, of Broadway West, in Walsall, both deny murder.
Choudhary also pleads not guilty to attempted grievous bodily harm and dangerous driving on November 26 and possession of an imitation firearm with intent, while Tasleem denies possession of a machete.
The trial continues.
