An elderly imam who fell victim to a bizarre ‘exorcism revenge’ kidnap plot has told of the impact of the terrifying ordeal
Fearing for his life, the elderly imam ‘begged and pleaded for mercy’.
The 87-year-old had been snatched from the streets of Oldham, bundled into the back of an Audi, blindfolded and repeatedly punched, strangled and hit with a stick. Then following a ‘sustained and violent beating’, he was stripped to just his underpants and a ‘torn and blood-stained’ tee shirt and dumped on a cold and remote country road.
Yesterday (Tuesday) the cocaine-fuelled kidnappers Azizur Rahman and his friend Shohad Miah were jailed following the bizarre and terrifying attack. Manchester Crown Court heard how the pair carried out the kidnap in September last year after they learned the elderly man had performed a ‘ritual exorcism’ on Rahman’s stepson because he was ‘believed to be possessed by evil spirits’.
The imam had been asked by Rahman’s estranged wife to visit their home where he said prayers and provided amulets. But this enraged Rahman, who roped in his younger friend to carry out the attack.
After being dumped in the street the elderly victim was forced to walk for around half an hour wearing only one show before he knocked on at a house for help, and the emergency services were called.
He was left with a number of injuries including a bleed on the brain, a bloody wound to his ear, a swelling to his cheekbone, a large bruise to his neck and a missing tooth.
In a victim impact statement read out in court, he told of the impact the ordeal had had. He said: “Before the incident, I used to go out of the house regularly and speak with members of the community. I don’t go out as often anymore.
“When I do, I feel a great sense of shame over what happened to me. I am well known in the community and lots of people ask me what happened. I get a sense from speaking to people that they assume I must have done something wrong to be treated in such a way. This makes me feel shameful in my own community.
“Before this happened, I used to walk to mosque every day by myself with freedom and I would look forward to going. Now, even though I still walk to mosque by myself, I feel scared in case something like this happens again.
“I have been scared ever since this happened and am still not sleeping well. At night, I keep thinking about what happened to me and it keeps me awake as I run it through in my mind.
“I honestly thought I was going to die. I just want it all to go away.”
Rahman, 39, of Bluebell Walk, St Mary’s Way, Oldham, who the court heard had 20 previous convictions for 30 offences and was at the time serving a suspended prison sentence for drink driving, was sentenced to 11 years and 16 weeks in prison after being found guilty of kidnap, robbery, section 18 assault, intentional strangulation and perverting the course of justice.
Miah, 25, of Firbank Road, Royton, was jailed for nine years after being found guilty of kidnap, section 20 assault, intentional strangulation and perverting the course of justice.
Speaking after the case Det Sgt Rick Bolt, of GMP’s Major Incident Team, said: “This was a particularly shocking crime that targeted a vulnerable elderly man, causing him severe physical and emotional trauma. This was not a random attack; the victim was specifically targeted due to a prior visit to Rahman’s home, where he had performed prayers.
“The swift and thorough investigation by our team, utilising forensic evidence, ensured that these dangerous individuals were brought to justice. We hope this sentence provides some measure of comfort to the victim and his family and serves as a stark warning to those who think they can commit such brutal acts without consequence.”