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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Alahna Kindred

Two men cleared of acting as 'spotters' in gunpoint robbery of Amir Khan for £70k watch

Two men have been cleared of acting as "spotters" during the gunpoint robbery of Amir Khan for his £70,000 diamond-encrusted watch.

Ismail Mohamed, 24, and Nurul Amin, 25, were accused of acting as "spotters" in the gunpoint robbery of the former world boxing champion.

During the robbery, Mr Khan was forced to hand over his £70,000 bespoke rose gold diamond-encrusted Franck Muller watch by gunman Dante Campbell, 20.

The 2004 Olympic silver medallist, 36, was targeted as he and his wife, Faryal Makhdoom, 31, left Sahara Grill restaurant in Leyton, East London, on April 18 last year, the jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.

Amir Khan, gives a thumbs up as he arrives at Snaresbrook Crown Court on March 14 (PA)
Amir Khan with his wife Faryal Makhdoom (Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal)

A jury of five women and seven men cleared Mr Mohamed and Mr Amin, both of North London, of conspiracy to rob after deliberating for two hours.

The pair were at the restaurant with another man, who was not on trial.

The three were said to have dined in the restaurant to keep track of Mr Khan's movements and relay them by phone to Ahmed Bana, 25.

Campbell and Bana, who drove the robbers to and from the scene in a silver Mercedes coupe, have admitted their roles in the plot.

Mr Mohamed told the court that Bana arranged with him to come to meet the group to buy cannabis.

Mohamed has denied he told anyone from the restaurant that Mr Khan was there and told the jury he had simply been scrolling through social media.

Mohamed told jurors he had not heard of Mr Khan before accompanying his friends to the restaurant to break their Ramadan fast.

He said that it was Mr Kulane who pointed out that Mr Khan before he then told Bana about the boxer being there in a phone call.

Rabah Kherbane, for Mr Mohamed, said he gave "frank honest evidence" and on CCTV played in court "you can see he's not a spotter".

He said "they were legitimately out for dinner and you can see that on CCTV", and "were eating dinner and they weren't involved" in the robbery.

He added: "Most of us sitting in a restaurant use our phones. Most of us flick through the internet. It's just so ridiculous to have to answer to using your phone when you're in a restaurant."

In a closing speech, Zacharias Miah, for Mr Amin, who did not give evidence in the trial, said: "We say categorically on his behalf that the prosecution's case does not exist against Mr Amin. It is so weak that it does not exist at all."

There were no calls between Mr Amin and Bana, Campbell, or the third man who was alleged to have been part of the plot, or any forensic evidence linking Mr Amin to the watch or gun.

If the defendants were part of the plot, then they were "the worst spotters in the world", according to Mr Miah.

During the trial when Mr Mohamed was asked why a gunman later turned up, he told the jury: "I do not know why he came. I do not know him.

"I do not know the reason he came over. I do not have his number."

The robbery, which lasted just seconds, was captured on CCTV which has been played to the jury.

Mr Khan, who was a unified world champion at light welterweight, said he looked into the handgun's barrel when the robber pointed the weapon in his face and told him: "Take off the watch."

Campbell, and Bana, both of North London, admitted conspiracy to commit robbery and possession of an imitation firearm.

They will be sentenced on a date to be fixed.

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