CCTV has captured the moment an Afghan refugee bought a knife before travelling more than 150 miles to London to murder a man. Sulaiman Tajzai, 18, purchased the weapon from a corner shop in Leeds before boarding a train to the capital on March 27.
Attack outside victim's home
Hours later, he was waiting outside the Westminster home of 26-year-old Farmanullah Sherzad, who was returning from work. When Mr Sherzad arrived at around 10.15pm, Tajzai confronted him. The victim tried to flee, but Tajzai chased him onto Abbey Orchard Street and repeatedly stabbed him.
A member of the public found Mr Sherzad suffering from stab wounds and called 999. Despite the efforts of emergency crews, he died at the scene about 20 minutes later.
Evidence left behind
Tajzai had already fled by then, leaving behind a crucial piece of evidence. He dropped a pair of black gloves near St James' Park as he escaped. Forensic examination found Mr Sherzad's blood on the gloves, while DNA recovered from inside them was linked to Tajzai.
The teenager had attempted to get back to Leeds from London after the killing, but missed a train from King's Cross. He eventually caught another service shortly after 6am the following morning.
Previous trips to London
But detectives found that the journey on March 27 was not his first trip to London. CCTV showed Tajzai had travelled to the capital in the weeks before the murder to scope out Mr Sherzad's home and workplace. The evidence revealed how the teenager had travelled from Leeds armed with a knife before positioning himself outside his victim's home and waiting for him to return.
Tajzai pleaded guilty to murder and possession of a bladed article at the Old Bailey on Friday, September 11. He is due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on September 18.
Background to the dispute
The murder followed a bitter personal dispute dating back to the previous autumn. The court heard there had been a "pre-existing connection" between Mr Sherzad and Tajzai's cousin's wife which had "turned sour".
On October 3 last year, police went to the home of Tajzai's cousin and his wife in Leeds, where they found Mr Sherzad tied up on the floor. He was arrested on suspicion of stalking and trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence, but was later released with no further action. Mr Sherzad subsequently claimed he was in a relationship with the woman, saying he had travelled to Leeds after she invited him through Snapchat.
The dispute then escalated until Tajzai made his fatal journey south.
Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley, who led the investigation, said: "This is a devastating case in which a young man lost his life after being subjected to a brutal and senseless act of violence."
He added: "I would like to commend the dedication and professionalism of the investigative team, who worked meticulously to piece together crucial CCTV, and forensic evidence to build a compelling case."
Police were called to Abbey Orchard Street at about 10.15pm on March 27 after Mr Sherzad was found with stab wounds. Tajzai's conviction brings the murder investigation to a close, but the teenager will not be sentenced until later this week. The case has laid bare the meticulous preparation behind the killing, with CCTV showing Tajzai buying the knife, travelling from Leeds to London and waiting for his target before launching the fatal attack.
