A man who stabbed his wife 40 times lied to police by claiming that she had attacked him. Syed Rafay Ahmad, 45, attacked his wife Anam, 36, with a kitchen knife in their home in Wythenshawe, Manchester, on January 27, after she asked for a divorce. Greater Manchester Police body cam video reveals the moment Ahmad was arrested and, while walking handcuffed to the police car, he tells officers: “She attacked me.”
He also said: “Self defence, self defence.” The police officer interrupted Ahmad and warned him to be quiet, saying: “You’re under caution, so don’t say anything.” Police put him under caution for suspicion of a section 18 assault before placing him in the car.
While searching the killer, cops asked him where the knife is and Ahmad said: “Inside, kitchen I think.”
Ahmad was initially arrested on suspicion of assault but despite the best efforts of paramedics, his wife was pronounced dead at the scene.
After the stabbing, he sent a message to his family’s WhatsApp group, as well as to Anam’s father, saying: “I have killed my wife.”
The court heard that Anam was filling a water bottle at the kitchen sink when her husband launched the initial knife attack, BBC reports.
She managed to flee and ran to her next-door neighbour’s home seeking help, but collapsed outside the front door.
The court heard Ahmad pursued her and carried on the assault before calmly returning to the house.
Neighbours who rushed to assist Anam told jurors that Ahmad appeared to be smirking as he left his wife lying fatally injured on the ground.
He then stood watching from an upstairs window before police officers arrived and arrested him.
The couple entered into an arranged marriage when Anam was 16 and Ahmad was 26.
Jurors were told Ahmad had been coercive and abusive towards his wife throughout their marriage.
The court heard Anam eventually decided to end the marriage after falling in love with a man she had met through social media.
Ahmad initially claimed he had been suffering from a psychotic episode when he carried out the attack, but admitted his guilt during the third week of his trial.
He dramatically changed his plea at Manchester Crown Court after three days of giving evidence and has been jailed for a minimum of 27 years and four months.
Detective Inspector Neil Higginson from our Major Incident Team said: “Anam’s tragic death was a result of Ahmad’s violent nature. This was a horrific, and cold-blooded attack, causing irreparable damage to a family, who were left to deal with the consequences of his actions.
“The sentencing passed today will ensure we keep a violent offender behind bars for a long time.”