Second man convicted of Watford murder

A second man was found guilty yesterday (Thursday 6 February) of murdering his brother-in-law in Watford.

Zaheer Abbas, aged 45 and of Weldale Street, Reading, was convicted after it was discovered he assisted and encouraged Husnein Amjad to kill Amjad Hussain in 2021.

Husnein Amjad, aged 25, of Fuller Road, Watford, was previously sentenced in December 2023 having been found guilty of murdering his father in a separate trial. He was jailed for life with a minimum of 17 years in prison before he can considered for parole.

Shortly after 6pm on 28 October, 2021, 52-year-old Amjad Hussain was found with serious injuries inside an upstairs bedroom by family members.

Officers were called, alongside colleagues from the ambulance service, but despite their best efforts Mr Hussain was sadly pronounced deceased just after 7pm.

Following further enquiries, Abbas was arrested and charged with murder on 20 June 2024 after it was discovered that he had groomed and manipulated his cousin Husnein into killing Mr Hussain.

He pleaded not guilty to the offences, but was convicted by a jury yesterday following a trial lasting just under eight weeks at St Albans Crown Court. It was a unanimous verdict.

Abbas will be sentenced on Friday 11 April.

Detective Chief Inspector Sam Khanna, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, said: “I would like to pay tribute to the family and witnesses who bravely came forward to give their evidence despite being extremely fearful of the defendant. Their evidence was crucial in successfully achieving the conviction. I would also like to thank my investigation team who worked tirelessly to gather evidence which proved Abbas’s involvement. This was a significant amount of work given that he was not present at the scene and required supporting a number of witnesses both in the UK and abroad.”

In a statement, Amjad’s family said: “Amjad was a father and husband, loved by many from family and the community. As a family we were all looking ahead to better days. His loss has left a wound that will stay with us our whole lives. Due to Zaheer's direct responsibility and involvement we have lost our father forever and to some extent our brother/son too. 

“We urge families to keep a close eye on their young ones and those who they spend their time with. Sometimes it's people closest to you who intend for you the most harm."

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