ELDERLY OLDHAM IMAM KIDNAPPED AND ATTACKED, SENTENCED TO OVER A DECADE IN PRISON
A 39-year-old man named Azizur Rahman has been convicted and sentenced for kidnapping and assaulting an elderly man.The incident took place on September 15th of the previous year when Rahman and Shohad Miah forcibly abducted an 87-year-old man as he was walking home from the Oldham Central Mosque.
The suspects used the victim’s own scarf to blindfold him, then strangled him, and stole his phone, money, and keys before abandoning him 15 miles away.
The attack caused severe injuries including knocked-out teeth, a brain bleed, cuts, and bruising.
Rahman was sentenced to serve 11 years and four months in prison, while Miah received a nine-year term at Manchester Crown Court.
Investigations revealed that the attack was targeted rather than random, with CCTV footage capturing the kidnapping.
The perpetrators had used dashcam footage to plan the assault, and the burned-out vehicle involved was recovered nearby, with forensic evidence linking it back to the victim.
The elderly man, who has endured ongoing physical and emotional trauma, expressed his fear, saying, 'I honestly thought I was going to die.
I used to walk to the mosque alone every day, feeling safe.
Now, I am scared that something like this could happen again, even though I still go alone.' The court noted the serious injuries he sustained, which affected his hearing, eyesight, and caused facial and dental issues.
Law enforcement emphasized that this was a deliberate attack against a vulnerable senior citizen, resulting in significant suffering.
During police interrogations, both Rahman and Miah denied the charges, claiming the imam was the aggressor; however, evidence from CCTV and dashcam footage proved their involvement.
The case highlights the seriousness of crimes of violence against vulnerable elderly individuals and showcases police commitment to pursuing justice for victims.
