Men found guilty of murder in honour killing

11/06/2007

The following statement was issued after the father, uncle and their associates were found guilty today (11 June 2007) at the Old Bailey of the murder of Banaz Mahmod Aga.

"The murder of Banaz Mahmod Aga by her father, uncle and their associates not only took away the life of a young woman, it left her boyfriend in fear of his life and also left members of the family and community in fear," said CPS London prosecutor Paul Goddard.

"The CPS and the police have worked together since February 2006 in this case, firstly to attempt to discover the whereabouts of Banaz Mahmod Aga, and then to bring her murderers to justice.

"The discovery of Banaz's body on 28 April 2006 was not the end of the case but the beginning of an even more challenging phase.

"Witnesses required assurance and measures to assist them, and telephone and technological evidence of considerable volume and complexity required detailed analysis and re-analysis in order to reveal the truth of what happened to Banaz and avoid the false trails that had been laid down.

"There is no honour in murder, and no circumstances in which the CPS and the police will not prosecute with the utmost rigour those who commit crimes in the name of so-called honour."

Notes to Editors:
For more information contact Paul Hayward, CPS London Press Officer on 020 7796 8041.