Aya Hachem: Jury sent out to deliberate verdicts

It has taken 57 days for all of the evidence to be heard and for the prosecution to present their case in the trial which involves eight defendants, two of whom have pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

LATEST: Seven men found guilty of murdering Blackburn student Aya Hachem

Aya, a 19-year-old law student from Blackburn, was shot dead in King Street in the town on May 17 last year in what the prosecution say was a bungled hit.

It is their case that the drive-by shooting was organised by the owner of RI Tyres Feroz Suleman, who had been embroiled in a bitter feud with his neighbour and business rival Pachah Khan.

It is alleged that Suleman hired a hitman from Manchester, Zamir Raja, to carry-out the fatal shooting for the price of £1500.

Raja, of no fixed address, refused to fully participate in cross-examination and later pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

On his behalf his legal team argued it was never his intention to kill and that he had set out on a mission to ‘scare or intimidate’ Mr Khan and his Quickshine Tyres workers.

The other defendant who has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, Ayaz Hussain, is the link between Suleman and Raja.

Hussain, of Calgary Avenue, claims that his old friend Suleman asked him if he knew anyone who could rough up the Quickshine Tyres boss and that is when he contacted Raja through another man Lewis Otway, who is not on trial.

He admits being the link between Suleman and Raja but denies knowing a fatal shooting or attempted murder was to take place.

The prosecution continued to pursue murder charges against both Raja and Hussain after their pleas to manslaughter.

Suleman, of Shear Brow, denies all knowledge of any of the events and claims he was absent during one of the key moments in the prosecution’s case, when a ‘dry-run’ for the shooting took place on May 16.

At that time Suleman claims he was eating a burger with a married lady friend, while the prosecution say it was him captured on CCTV with the hitman and other players in the plan.

Brothers Abubakr and Uthman Satia both became involved in the plot through their friendship with Suleman and connection to RI Tyres, it is alleged.

Abubakr Satia, of Oxford Close, admits purchasing the Toyota Avensis that was used in the shooting and being involved in events during and after the tragic incident, but denies having knowingly been implicated.

Drug addict Uthman Satia agreed to pick up and drop off the gunman and his driver Anthony Ennis, from Bolton, for a small fee he would later use to buy cocaine – but claims it was his understanding that the two men were coming to Blackburn to test drive the Toyota Avensis, not in a bid to kill Mr Khan.

Uthman Satia’s girlfriend Judy Chapman allegedly became involved when she heard Uthman was planning to drive to Bolton in her Ford Fiesta. However due to her concerns over the younger Satia brother’s driving disqualification, she said she would drive to Bolton and back to collect the men, over fears he would be stopped by police.

Chapman, of St Hubert’s Road in Great Harwood, denies knowing any part of the plan.

Ennis, of Grasemere Road, Partington, admits being the man who drove Raja to King Street in the Toyota Avensis once they had been dropped off at the location it was being kept at on Wellington Road, by Chapman and Uthman Satia.

It is his case that Raja was only meant to be scaring or intimidating Mr Khan and/other Quickshine Tyres workers.

Kashif Manzoor, of Shakeshaft Street, was one of Suleman’s closest friends. He admits having jump-started the Toyota Avensis moments before the shooting took place, but claims he thought it was for a customer of RI Tyres.

The prosecution have made it plain that all eight defendants played key and knowing roles in the botched plot to kill Mr Khan, which resulted in the death of Aya.

All defendants deny murder; Suleman, Chapman, Abubakr Satia, Uthman Satia, Kashif Manzoor and Anthony Ennis also deny manslaughter.

They all deny the count of attempted murder on Pachah Khan.