Somalilandsun – A gang member who gunned down a drug rival in a leafy suburb has been convicted of murder in Scotland.
At the High Court in Glasgow, 29-year-old Mohammed Ahmed was found guilty of killing Mohamed Abdi, 25, in Edinburgh two years ago while acting with others.
Ahmed, also known as Jamal Saeed, fled to Somalia – where he was born – days after the street slaying.
But unknown to him, he had left his wallet behind at the murder scene on Duddingston Road West.
A bank card belonging to him was also found in the roof lining of the Volkswagen car driven by the other killers.
The court heard that the murderers and the victim were in rival drug gangs
Iain McSporran, prosecuting, said: “The Crown’s position is that there appears to have been an organised crime group consisting largely of Somalian males with London connections, operating in Glasgow and Edinburgh.”
They split into two rival factions shortly before the murder. Two days before the fatal shooting, a message was sent saying: “The guns are coming out.”
On May 26, 2013, the killers were in a Volkswagen Sharan and chased the Ford Focus containing Abdi and his associates through the streets of the city.
It ended with the Sharan crashed into a fence beside a tennis court.
Abdi got out the Focus and was striking the rear of the Sharan with a baseball bat when he was shot with a sub-machine pistol fired from the car.
The court heard that five shots were fired before the gun jammed. Three of them hit Abdi and the fatal shot was through his chest.
The Crown claimed it was not possible to say who fired the fatal shot. Ahmed was convicted of murder on an art-and-part basis.
The other men in his gang, Mohamud Mohamud, 30, Cadil Huseen, 23, and Hussein Ali, 26, are already serving life sentences and will each spend at least 25 years in jail.
In evidence, Ahmed denied fleeing to Somalia days after the murder. Despite his wallet and bank card being found, he also denied being in Duddingston on the day of the killing.
He said: “I was at home in London with my family.”
Ahmed, who worked in a hotel in Mogadishu after entering Somalia, said he had decided to return to the UK to clear his name.
He showed no emotion as the jury announced their verdict. Judge John Morris QC deferred sentence on Ahmed, a first offender, until next month for background reports.
Source : Daily Record
