Girl 'implicated wife in murder'

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A mother-of-five was charged with her husband's murder after being implicated by a child during a lesson on the Koran, the Old Bailey hears.

A young girl asked her Islamic teacher if Allah would punish her if she did not tell the truth, the court heard.

After being told she should not lie, she told police Rina Begum, from east London, told her to say she was asleep when Anthar Miah, 37, was killed.

Ms Begum, 33, denies his murder at their house in East Ham last April.

There were scores and scores of injuries which may horrify you. Prosecutor Michael Worsley

Prosecutor Michael Worsley, QC, said police questioned the girl and another child, both who cannot be named for legal reasons, and were told that Ms Begum was seen washing blood off her hands,

He said Ms Begum had denied knowing anything about the murder of Mr Miah at their home on 10 April 2007.

But later, she claimed she had suffered mental and physical abuse and was in fear of her life because her husband had "hired an assassin" to kill her, Mr Worsley said.

It was alleged that the assassin did not injure Ms Begum but that instead she gave him £500 to kill her husband, it was alleged.

But Mr Worsley told the jury: "It was not done by any hired assassin, but was done by herself.

"It was a frenzied, sustained, ferocious assault."

'Slum squalor'

He said Mr Miah had been killed in a "ferocious and savage" attack in his bedroom with a kitchen knife, claw hammer and rolling pin

Mr Worsley told the jury: "There were scores and scores of injuries which may horrify you.

"He was savagely killed next to the bedroom where the defendant and her five children slept in circumstances of slum squalor."

Mr Worsley said Mr Miah may not have been an easy man to live with but did not deserve to be the victim of a "premeditated" killing.

She claims she acted in self-defence and because of provocation.

The trial was adjourned until Friday.