Hazrat Umar murder: Uncle 'coached nephew to lie to police'

Mahmood Sarwar has been jailed for perverting the course of justice

A man has been jailed after he encouraged his nephew to lie to officers following a fatal stabbing in Birmingham, police said.

Adam Muhammad stabbed 18-year-old Hazrat Umar with a "Rambo-style" knife in Bordesley Green and was jailed for life in 2019.

His uncle Mahmood Sarwar, 53, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice in relation to the case.

He was sentenced to five years in prison at Birmingham Crown Court.

Muhammad stabbed fellow student Mr Umar in a "frenzied and unprovoked" attack on 25 February 2019.

The then 17-year-old admitted murder on the fourth day of his trial and was sentenced to a minimum term of 14 years and three months.

West Midlands Police said Sarwar encouraged his nephew to lie "in an initial bid to throw officers off the scent", before he was arrested for murder.

Hazrat Umar, a South and City College Birmingham student, died in February 2019

While Muhammad was on remand in prison, Sarwar visited the teenager three times to coach him on his defence, encouraging him to say the knife used in the attack belonged to the victim, the force explained.

Sarwar, of Aldersea Drive, Aston, was convicted on 1 April.

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Det Insp Michelle Allen said: "This trusted member of the family purposely decided to try and sabotage a murder investigation, by encouraging his nephew to lie to detectives.

"Fortunately, we were able to determine the truth and a teenager was jailed for murder, and now his uncle has been jailed for perverting the course of justice," she added.

In a fresh tribute Mr Umar's family said: "It is not getting any easier... we miss him so much."

Adam Muhammad pleaded guilty to murder on the fourth day of his trial in 2019