Hartlepool shotgun murder accused tells jury victim was shot in front of his eyes

Noza Saffari is one of four men on trial at Teesside Crown Court that deny the murder of Hamawand Ali Hussain who was shot and killed inside a house in Charterhouse Street on September 14, 2019.

Giving evidence Saffari, 39, described how Mr Hussain was shot and killed in front of his eyes after going with him to the house.

Saffari, who came to the UK from Kurdistan in 2005, said he did some removal and repair work to properties for Mr Hussain but denied being involved in his murder.

After entering 25 Charterhouse Street, Saffari said a man came out of the kitchen with a gun.

While in the sitting room he said the man spoke to Mr Hussain about a man who had taken 10kg of drugs from him.

Saffari said: “He told Hamawand ‘you promised that you would bring that man and return half of the drugs’ and such things not to happen again.

"And pointing his gun he said ‘you sit down, no one leave here’.”

Saffari added: “He pointed his gun to his (Mr Hussain’s) left shoulder and then he just fired.”

John Elvidge QC, defending Saffari, asked: “Did you realise that Mr Hussain had been shot dead?”

Saffari said: “Yes, in front of me.”

Related story: Murder victim ‘may have been attacked with an axe’

He said two other men were in the room at the time; one with an axe and another with a length of wood.

Saffari said the man with the gun threatened him and told him to leave with with the others, telling the jury: “He said ‘if you shout or make trouble I will shoot you.

"’Just follow them and get in the car’.”

Mr Elvidge asked Saffari: “Did you attack Hamawand Ali Hussain?”

Saffari, of Park Lane, Middlesbrough, replied: “No.”

“Did you intend that he should be killed?” added Mr Elvidge. Again Saffari said ‘no’.

Saffari also told the jury he was a police informant and gave CID information about a number of crimes in August and September 2019 including addresses of several cannabis farms and Mr Hussain’s involvement.

He did it to repay the authorities for being granted asylum.

“It was my duty to inform police about such things,” he said.

Trial continues.

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