Aminan Rahman is currently on trial for the alleged murder of his wife, Suma Begum, whose body was discovered in the River Lea on May 8, 2023. The Old Bailey heard disturbing details of the incident, including Rahman video calling Begum’s boyfriend while strangling her.
The prosecution, led by Jocelyn Ledward KC, outlined how Rahman filmed himself attacking Begum during a video call on April 29, 2023. Rahman allegedly told Begum’s boyfriend, Shahin Miah, that he had murdered her. Miah, who was in the United Arab Emirates at the time, recorded parts of the call, which were later presented as evidence in court.
Rahman, 46, denies charges of murder and assault by beating on an earlier occasion but has admitted to preventing the lawful and decent burial of Begum’s body. The court was shown CCTV footage of Rahman leaving his address carrying one of his children and pulling a large black suitcase. Further footage showed him lifting the suitcase onto a metal barrier by the River Lea and pushing it into the water.
On the night of April 29, neighbors reported hearing children screaming and a loud bang. Rahman then made a WhatsApp video call to Miah, during which he threatened both Miah and his two-year-old son, who was present in the room. The video played in court showed Begum on a bed covering her face, with one of her children nearby. The prosecution stated that Rahman most likely killed Begum “there and then” but had at the very least incapacitated her before disposing of her body.
The suitcase containing Begum’s body was found washed up on the riverbank ten days later. The court heard that Rahman had an Islamic marriage with Begum over the phone in 2019 when she was in Bangladesh, and he was in London. Begum moved to the UK in 2020, and they had two children, aged two and four months, at the time of her death.
The court was also told of Begum’s online relationship with Miah, which Rahman was aware of. This relationship, conducted via messages and video calls, was a source of tension. Begum had been open about the relationship on her TikTok account, and both Rahman’s and Begum’s families were aware of it.
Prosecutor Ledward described how Rahman had become increasingly agitated and aggressive towards Begum, culminating in the fatal attack. She also detailed how Rahman had threatened Begum on multiple occasions and had previously assaulted her, as evidenced by videos and messages she sent to Miah.
The trial continues, with Rahman denying the murder charge but facing overwhelming evidence presented by the prosecution. The case has highlighted severe issues of domestic violence and the tragic consequences of unresolved marital conflict.
