A teenager arrested after the knife he bought was used to stab a 17-year-old grammar schoolboy to death in an upmarket Cheshire village has denied he “cooked up a story” to lie and protect himself.
Adam Chowdhary, now 21, was told at the start of his evidence at the second inquest into the death of his friend Yousef Makki, held at Stockport Coroner’s Court, he must tell the truth or be committing perjury.
Chowdhary and his friend Joshua Molnar, both from rich Cheshire families, had been out on their bikes with Yousef, from Burnage, Manchester, who had won a scholarship to the £12,000-a-year Manchester Grammar School.
At the school, he became best friends with Chowdhary, who knew Molnar, with all three boys being 17.
After a row, Yousef was stabbed in the heart by Molnar on the evening of March 2 2019 in Hale Barns.
Molnar was cleared of murder and manslaughter by a jury after claiming self-defence but jailed for perverting the course of justice – by lying to police at the scene – and carrying a knife in public.
This is the second inquest into Yousef’s death and is being held with a new coroner after the High Court quashed the conclusions of the first in November 2021 and ordered a fresh one.
Yousef’s family had challenged the first coroner’s finding that there was not enough evidence relating to the “central issue” of whether the killing was unlawful.
Chowdhary had bought a flick knife online for him and Yousef and Molnar told his criminal trial that after a row with Yousef the knives were produced and there was a “coming together”.
Chowdhary told the inquest on Tuesday that although he was with the boys he did not see the stabbing because he was on his phone and did not know about it until Yousef lifted his shirt to show him the wound.
Coroner Geraint Williams said phone records showed Chowdhary’s last call was at 6.35pm and seven seconds.
He said: “There were no incoming or outgoing calls or data usage (from) looking at things on the internet. We know approximately one minute later Yousef was stabbed.
“What exactly were you doing on your phone in that minute?”
Chowdhary said: “I can’t tell you but I can tell you my attention was drawn to the phone.”
Mr Williams challenged Chowdhary about what he told emergency services on the phone after Yousef was stabbed and he dialled 999.
I have got Yousef in front of me. I'm in severe shock and panic at this point. The person on the phone was calm, I was not— Adam Chowdhary
Mr Williams said: “It’s right, isn’t it, the operator asked you about what had happened and it’s right that you did not tell them the truth of matters, there and then?”
Chowdhary said: “Not true. I did not lie.”
Mr Williams continued: “You are saying the attacker has made off. That’s not true.”
Chowdhary said: “Back in hindsight, yeah.”
Mr Williams said: “Forget hindsight. There was no attacker that made off, was there? So you were not being honest with the emergency services.”
Chowdhary said: “No, I don’t accept that. I have got Yousef in front of me. I’m in severe shock and panic at this point. The person on the phone was calm, I was not.”
Mr Williams said: “Calm or panicking, that’s a lie. It’s not once you are asked, it’s three times. Each time you say the attacker has left.”
Chowdhary said he only mentioned a silver or grey car being in the area at the time of the attack because he heard Molnar mention it.
Throughout his evidence, he's been seeking to evade answering a question by going to extraneous matters— Coroner Geraint Williams
Mr Williams said: “Did you and Mr Molnar agree to cook up a story about what happened?
“It is suggested you were much closer to the action than you have indicated, that you must have seen what happened and you have lied about your involvement to protect yourself.”
Chowdhary said: “That’s not true. I did not see Joshua stab Yousef.”
Peter Weatherby KC, representing Yousef’s family, asked Chowdhary about him “positively asserting” a car was involved, telling a police officer: “I saw a whip. A car.”
The witness suggested he said it because he was in turmoil.
What I'm duty bound to say is Mr Chowdhary is entitled to answer the question in the way he wants to. This is not a criminal trial— Tom Coke-Smyth for Chowdhary
But Mr Williams said: “No, no, no. You are saying, ‘I saw it’.
“Throughout his evidence, he’s been seeking to evade answering a question by going to extraneous matters.”
Tom Coke-Smyth, representing Chowdhary and addressing the coroner, said: “Well, that’s your view. That’s an opinion. It is not an opinion that is necessarily one I support or agree with. What I’m duty bound to say is Mr Chowdhary is entitled to answer the question in the way he wants to. This is not a criminal trial.”
Molnar was jailed for 16 months for perverting the course of justice and carrying a knife in public.
Chowdhary was found not guilty of perverting the course of justice and given a four-month detention order after admitting having the knife.
The inquest was adjourned until Wednesday morning.
