A jealous brute who savagely murdered his romantic rival with a 12in zombie knife in a horrifying street assault has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Haseeb Majid, 22, stabbed Mohammed Duraab Khan, 26, sixteen times at a Texaco petrol station in Nottingham on January 31 this year. Despite the swift response of emergency services to Meadow Lane, Mr Khan tragically succumbed to his injuries shortly after.
The chilling attack was caught on CCTV, leading police to Majid, who had sustained a knee injury during the brutal onslaught. He attempted to argue that he had acted in self-defence and “lost control”, but a jury found him guilty of murder earlier this month.
Today, he received a life sentence and was ordered to serve a minimum of 26 years behind bars. During the three-week trial at Nottingham Crown Court, it emerged that there was animosity between the two men after Majid’s former girlfriend rekindled her relationship with Mr Khan.
On the day of the attack, Mr Khan had been returning from Gatwick Airport where he had dropped off relatives. He and a friend stopped at the petrol station for food. As his friend was filling up the car, Majid, clad in a black coat and ski mask, stormed onto the forecourt. He yanked open the driver’s door and began stabbing at Mr Khan, who was seated in the passenger seat.
In an appalling display of violence that shocked onlookers, Mr Khan was brutally murdered in front of a crowd when Majid emerged from his vehicle and stabbed him 16 times, with the most lethal wound penetrating 22cm into Mr Khans body. Despite the efforts of the public and emergency services, his life could not be saved and he perished at the scene.
Majid’s capture ensued swiftly after footage revealed his Ford Focus performing a U-turn to tail Mr Khan’s car, leading to his arrest the following day. The grief-stricken family of Mr Khan honoured the “remarkable young man.”
Releasing a heartfelt statement, they said: “Duraab was a remarkable young man whose life, though tragically cut short, was filled with love, laughter, and an unyielding dedication to his family and friends.
“Duraab was a man of honour, deeply rooted in the values of his religion and cultural background. He knew how to show respect to his elders, to women, and to children. He lived by a code of honour that defined his every action and interaction. His brutal murder has taken away a brother, a friend, a nephew, and a son from those who loved him unconditionally.”
Detective Inspector Kaz Smithson of Nottinghamshire Police condemned the heinous act, stating: “Mr Khan’s killing at the hands of Majid was savage and completely senseless. Majid must also now live with the consequences of what he did that day as he begins a life sentence.”
