STH WOODFORD: Dad butchered with 3ft blade (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)
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STH WOODFORD: Dad butchered with 3ft blade
12:34pm Thursday 24th April 2008 in News By Charlie Campbell
A FATHER-OF-FOUR drove nearly a mile to the restaurant where he worked with a 17cm-deep wound to the stomach after being stabbed with a sword.
The shocking details of Daraj Asghar's final moments emerged during the trial of Kadir Miah, who is accused of murdering him.
On the night he died, Mr Asghar, 38, had worked a shift at the popular Rose Indian Restaurant in South Woodford High Road before driving to meet Kadir Miah, 35, at his home in Priory Court, also in South Woodford.
The Old Bailey was told that Mr Asghar used to buy cocaine from Miah at his Priory Close home but was told not to turn up on August 4 last year because Miah's wife and children were there.
That night, however, Mr Asghar phoned Miah, hoping to find some drugs and told him: "I'm coming over."
When the waiter arrived, a furious Miah stormed over to his car and thrust a 3ft sword through the driver's window.
Despite his wound Mr Asghar sped from the scene back down the High Road to the restaurant, where he collapsed before dying at Whipps Cross Hospital.
Prosecutor Julian Evans said: "Miah was seen holding in one hand a mobile phone and in the other hand he had a sword. That was concealed behind his back. The defendant approached the victim's car and attacked him. He stabbed the victim in the abdomen with that sword. He tried to stab him a second time but he was pulled away by two men."
Witnesses from nearby flats saw Miah kicking and punching Mr Asghar's car and shouting for him to get out.
When he was arrested, Miah told police he was due to meet Mr Asghar on the night of the killing but he had never turned up, and that he himself had only left the house that evening to buy cigarettes and a bottle of milk.
But the court heard how cell site information showed his phone had been used in Loughton. The 3ft sword has never been recovered.
Mr Asghar, who was a black belt in tae kwondo, left a wife, Monwara, three daughters and one son.
Kadir Miah denies murder.
The trial continues.
