A 22-year-old man has been found guilty of murdering his stepmother by strangling her with her own headscarf, following a trial at Bradford Crown Court.
Abdul Sami, of Mannheim Road, Bradford, was convicted by a jury after prosecutors presented evidence that he had carried out the killing at the family home in August 2023. He is due to be sentenced on Friday.
The court heard that Sami and 41-year-old Rizwana Kousar were alone in the house at the time of the incident, while his father was at work. Sami later contacted emergency services, claiming he had found his stepmother unresponsive in a bath.
During an 11-minute 999 call played to the jury, Sami told the operator he had discovered Ms Kousar face down, partially submerged in water. He was instructed to remove her from the bath and perform CPR until paramedics arrived.
Medical evidence presented at trial raised doubts about this account. Paramedics noted marks on Ms Kousar’s neck, and no water was found in her airway, which was described as unusual given the circumstances reported.
Ms Kousar was taken to hospital, where she was found to have suffered a heart attack and severe brain damage. Life support was later withdrawn, and she died less than two days after the incident.
A post-mortem examination found a significant horizontal bruise on the front of her neck, described as consistent with a ligature mark. Additional findings, including small haemorrhages around the neck, eyes and mouth, indicated the injuries occurred while her heart was still beating.
Prosecutors said the injuries were consistent with forceful application of a ligature, such as a headscarf, and argued that the death was not natural.
Evidence presented in court also showed Sami had carried out online searches in the weeks before the incident relating to inheritance, including whether a stepchild could inherit and whether a killer could benefit from a victim’s estate.
Further searches after the incident included queries about the effects of oxygen deprivation on the brain.
Sami denied wrongdoing, stating that his searches were related to personal matters and a television programme. However, prosecutors argued that the evidence pointed clearly to deliberate actions.
The jury found Sami guilty of murder.