Money paid to hitman via hundi from Pakistan to kill blogger

LONDON: A bank in Pakistan was used to transfer a part of the agreed payment in exchange for the alleged assassination of Ahmad Waqas Goraya, a Netherland based activist and blogger.

It was revealed by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to the jurors at Kingston Crown Court in a case pertaining to the hatching of a plot to kill blogger Ahmad Waqass Goraya.

As much as £5000 was deposited in the account of Muhammad Amin Asif at a local private bank in Pakistan by Muzamil, also known as Mudz, the handler of the hit man. The amount was laundered via the illegal channel of Hundi to the British Pakistani hit man Gohir Khan.

There is no suggestion that the private bank or Muhammad Amin Asif was aware of the real purpose of the payment, but the Crown believed that Asif had taken part in the Hundi transfer. There was a delay in the payment in May 2021 as the alleged hit man, Gohir, and his handler, Muzamil, discussed the possible mode of transaction as Muzamil wanted to make the transaction without disclosing his identity, said the prosecution on the third day of the trial on Monday.

On April 30th, the alleged assassin Gohir sent account details of Muhammad Amin Asif, a resident of Chiniot, to Muzamil aka Mudz via Whatsapp. The deal for the purported killing of the blogger was finalised between the two on April 30, 2021, on the following terms.

According to the deal terms, the amount to be paid for the killing of the blogger stands at £100,000. Out of that, the share of Gohir Khan tends to be £80,000, while Muzamil will receive an amount of £20,000 as a cut. Gohir will receive £5000 as an advance with conditions. Besides, a £5000 bonus will be paid if the job is successfully done. In the event of failing to execute the job successfully, the amount of £2500 will be refunded upon furnishing of the bills. However, the whole amount of £5000 paid as an advance will have to be refunded in case the job is not done and no bills are furnished.

Gohir Khan, according to the Crown lawyer, added a condition that all amounts should be paid in British pounds instead of Pakistani rupees and the full payment should be made in London within 72 hours after the task is successfully executed in the Netherlands.

When Muzamil told Khan that he was waiting for a mastermind’s nod, Gohir Khan became desperate and asked him if he was in the "freeze mode" again. When Khan asked Muzamil about the payment date, Muzamil replied, "PAPA will give payment to UR person" and then Khan sent Muhammad Amin’s bank details again. In return, Muzamil sent Khan the picture of Goraya and his whereabouts in Mathenesserweg, Rotterdam 3022, Holland.

Muzamil told Khan that the job was going to make him rich in the world and thereafter. On May 20, Muzamil tried to deposit the upfront amount, but he failed to do so for want of an original ID card. Gohir Khan insisted on using Hundi channels to transfer £5000. However, after a couple of attempts, Muzamil managed to deposit £5000 in the bank account of the person nominated by Gohir Khan.

After making a payment, Muzamil reminded Gohir Khan to do his own "Research and development (R&D)" for the successful execution of the job. In addition, he assured Khan that if he succeeded in doing the job in the Netherlands before the end of June, he would get a nice little cash flow.

Muzamil also promised Khan to provide him with more such jobs if the one at hand is executed in style. The court was also told how Khan exchanged emotional messages with his wife during his second and successful attempt to enter the Netherlands via France after being deported from the Netherlands when he had arrived there on a flight to do the job as agreed.

On June 17, 2021, while Khan was on his way to board a train to Paris to go to Rotterdam, he texted to his wife, Aaliyah Khan, that he was executing the task of making the couple financially secure. Besides, he also expressed his love for her and told her how much she was important to him. He also asked her to pray for the success of his project.

Gohir Khan had accepted taking money and getting into an agreement with Muzamil, but he told the police that he was only trying to make money from Muzamil and didn’t intend to assassinate Ahmad Waqas Goraya.

Originally published in The News