Men accused of alleged kidnap and blackmail

RANSOM DEMANDED FOR CITY CHEF, COURT TOLD

- CARL EVE

THREE men have appeared in court accused of taking part in an alleged kidnap and blackmail of a Plymouth chef.

Abdul Hashem of Morley Road, London, Afshar Ali of Old Park Avenue, Canterbury, and Rayhan Al Din, of Westrow Drive, Barking, are jointly charged with one count of kidnap of Fokrul Islam on May 26, 2022 and three counts of blackmail on the same date. They deny the charges.

A fourth man - Kamal Hussain, of Wenlock Street, London - was jointly charged on all counts but is not present in court. The jury at Plymouth Crown Court heard from prosecutor Jason Beal who explained how the incident allegedly arose over a debt Hussain believed he was owed by Mr Islam, who worked as a chef at the Eastern Eye restaurant on Notte Street.

Mr Beal explained that the issue of the debt was not the key issue the jury needed to consider, as that would be something which would fall under the auspices of a civil trial. He said their role was to consider the alleged offences.

He told the jury that on May 26, 2022 Hussain, having previously sent a series of messages back and forth with Mr Islam regarding the money, had called upon the assistance of the three other men and they had driven in a blue Peugeot hire car from the South East of England to Plymouth, effectively to settle the supposed debt. They stopped off a number of times and phone records showed their journey from the Kent and London area to Devon.

Hussain entered the Eastern Eye restaurant at around 9.15pm where he himself had previously worked. He spoke with the owner of the restaurant who recognised him and asked for the whereabouts of Mr Islam, and was directed to the kitchen where Mr Islam was working.