Juli Begum with Anika and Thanha Khanum
Juli Begum and Anika and Thanha Khanum, were found dead at their home in Nelson Street on New Year’s Day 2007.
Concerns were raised when the children did not return to school after the winter break and family members had not heard from Juli for 10 days.
Police forced entry to the property and discovered all three dead in one of the bedrooms.
The Old Bailey heard Mohammed Abdul Shakur, 45, killed them before fleeing to Bangladesh.
Investigators discovered a pattern of domestic abuse since Juli and Shakur’s arranged marriage in 1999.
But the claims were never substantiated and action was not taken against him at the time.
After several years on the run, Shakur was detained by police in India in 2013.
The extradition process was only completed in April 2019.
The family of Juli Begum said: “Abdul Shakur has destroyed our family. He took away a caring, loving mother and sister Juli and he has taken away the future of two young beautiful girls, Thanha and Anika.
“We struggle with thoughts of how their lives may have ended and what each of them must have witnessed in their final moments. We miss them every day and we cannot forgive this senseless loss of life.
“Shakur’s final act of cowardice was fleeing to Bangladesh. This meant justice took so long to be delivered, it was something our mother never got to see.”
He will be sentenced tomorrow.
Detective Sergeant Amjad Sharif, Specialist Crime investigator, said: “We will likely never be able to understand what could have driven Shakur to snap and end the lives of his wife and two daughters so violently and callously.
“In the years since, Juli, Anika and Thanma’s family have had to endure the most unimaginable torment. At times it must have seemed that there would never be justice; from Shakur immediately fleeing the UK, to the protracted process that followed over many years when he was finally apprehended.
“I am happy now to say that we have finally achieved justice for Juli and her daughters, and her family. I would like to thank them for their unwavering support throughout. Though many years have passed, I know their grieving continues, and I hope this development will allow them some small measure of comfort.
“I would also like to thank our international policing counterparts in Bangladesh and India, and especially the Foreign and Commonwealth representative who assisted us so well in circulating Shakur as a wanted man to local police, and indeed informing us when he was located. This is a prime example of the good that can come from international law enforcement working together to catch criminals.
“Now at last Shakur will serve a substantial custodial sentence for the horrific crimes he committed.”
Tags: Newham, East Ham
