SHAFILEA TRIAL: Mevish 'couldn't live with herself' if letter implicated parents (From Warrington Guardian)

SHAFILEA TRIAL: Mevish 'couldn't live with herself' if letter implicated parents

1:57pm Wednesday 20th June 2012 in News

THE best friend of Mevish Ahmed has today, Wednesday, spoken of why he broke a four year silence to speak of the day she was told Shafilea Ahmed was murdered by her parents.

A week after the trial of Iftikhar, aged 52, and Farzana Ahmed, aged 49, started Munir gave letters and a diary extract to police that told how Mevish had seen her parents suffocate her sister.

At Chester Crown Court this afternoon the Loughborough University student explained her decision to speak out.

She said: "The letters that I handed to the police were letters that Mev gave to me four years ago.

"Those letters described what happened on the night her sister died.

"I promised four years ago I wouldn't tell anybody and I got upset because I realised I'd broken my promise to her."

Andrew Edis, prosecuting, said: "What made you decide to give those letters?"

She replied: "I knew deep down it was the right thing to do.

"I felt that for me to just sit there and watch this happen and not say anything would make me just as bad and that's how I felt."

Mevish has previously claimed that the letters were fiction she had 'made up'.

Ms Munir was given the letters in 2008 in Warrington town centre. She also made a diary of a conversation between herself and Mevish at a park in the town on August 8 2009.

The court heard how in January this year Mevish demanded that her friend hand over the pages recording that conversation.

"She demanded my diary, specifically that entry," said Ms Munir.

"I refused and said no, it's my diary, it's part of me.

"She got really angry, just completely changed and turned on me.

"She grabbed my wrist and held me up against a wall and said if I wanted to play a game she would play a hell of a game."

Mevish denies the incident took place.

The trial continues.

MEVISH Ahmed has told a court she 'couldn't live' with herself if 'fictional' letters she wrote about her sister's alleged murder implicated her parents.

Letters written by Mevish, aged 21, of Liverpool Road, Great Sankey, described how Shafilea was killed by Iftikhar and Farzana Ahmed.

She claims they were 'made up' stories but when asked by Peter Bayliss QC, defending Iftikhar, how would she feel if they had implicated her parents she said: "I feel like they are going to pay for something they have not done.

"I couldn't live with myself if, and obviously they have been taken out of context, but if they went down for something they didn't do.

"My sisters killer is still out there.

"It was just a story."

She also said how the family felt 'harassed' by police since Shafilea's disappearance in 2003 and that they had not been given 'time to grieve'.

Earlier today Chester Crown Court heard how Mevish and sister Alesha Ahmed began dealing drugs in 2008 to pay for Alesha's university fees.

They sold cocaine and 'happy pills' to college and university friends.

Mevish, a personal loans advisor, also admitted using drugs.

She said: "I just thought I did it for the fun of it.

"It wasn't the point where I needed it I just felt like I wanted it."

Shahin Munir, who handed the 'fictional' letters in to police, will give evidence this afternoon.

The trial continues.