By Sakeenah Abdullateef
Aminan Rahman, 46, from east London, has been convicted of murdering his wife, Suma Begum, 24, in a fit of rage after discovering her online affair.
The Old Bailey heard that Rahman strangled Begum during a video call with her boyfriend, Shanin Miah, on April 29, 2023.
“She wanted to run away, and then he grabbed her by the throat,” Miah testified, sobbing. “He showed me on the video, and he was swearing at me.”
Rahman then placed Begum’s body in a suitcase and dumped it in the River Lea, where it was discovered 10 days later.
“If not already dead by then, she would have inevitably drowned,” said prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward.
The court heard that Rahman had “most likely” killed Begum “there and then” at their flat in Tower Hamlets, but had at the very least “incapacitated” her before placing her body in the suitcase and dumping it in the river.
The jury was shown CCTV footage of Rahman leaving the flat with a suitcase, which was later found to contain Begum’s body.
Rahman said he acted in defense of their child whom he claimed Begum threatened to hit if he doesn’t provide her a sum of £10,000 for her boyfriend to join her in England.
He further claimed that he panicked after Begum collapsed, but the jury rejected his defense.
Sentencing is set for July 31.
“This case highlights the devastating consequences of jealousy and possessiveness,” said Detective Inspector Rachel Jennings.
“Our thoughts remain with Suma’s family and friends.”
The court heard that Begum had undergone an Islamic marriage over the telephone in 2019, and the couple had two children. Begum had started an intimate online relationship with Miah, and they hoped to be together.
A background to the story reveals that on the night of the murder, neighbors heard children screaming and a loud bang against the wall. Miah received a WhatsApp video call from Rahman, showing him threatening to kill Begum.
The jury was shown footage of Rahman lifting the suitcase into the River Lea. “There is no dispute that Suma Begum was in that suitcase – placed there by the defendant,” Ledward said.
Rahman’s conviction comes after a one-month trial, and his sentencing will bring closure to Begum’s loved ones. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of domestic violence and the devastating consequences of unchecked jealousy.
