Imam raped women as younger as 12 after convincing them he had ‘supernatural powers’
Abdul Halim Khan, an East London imam, was convicted of 21 counts of rape and sexual assault against seven women and girls from the Muslim community between 2005 and 2014
Snaresbrook Crown Court heard from the sick Imam’s victims(Image: PA)
A victim of an imam, who was found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting women and girls as young as 12 after convincing them he possessed supernatural powers, has tearfully labelled him as “evil personified”.
Abdul Halim Khan exploited his role as a respected faith leader to abuse seven women and girls from the Muslim community between 2005 and 2014, Snaresbrook Crown Court was told.
The 54-year-old, residing on Old Forde Road, east London, was an imam at a mosque who manipulated each of the victims into meeting him at secluded locations including flats and hidden spots, according to prosecutors.
Khan would then rape or sexually abuse the victims under the pretence that he would be possessed or disguised as a jinn (supernatural spirit), the court heard.
The victims felt compelled to keep these acts concealed from their families and friends for fear of causing them harm through “black magic”, prosecutors stated.
Khan is due to be sentenced later on Thursday having been convicted of 21 offences of rape and sexual assault.
One of Khan’s victims, who revealed she was a child when she was abused, tearfully told the court: “To me, Khan is not a human being, he is evil personified.”
She expressed how fear was instilled in her through Khan’s “lies and manipulation”, stating that he hid “under the guise of a religious man”. The woman declared that Khan “stole the autonomy I should have had over my own body” and that she was “caged” into remaining silent because of his threats about members of her family.
She further stated: “He is a danger to society and he will continue being a danger for as long as he lives.”
Another victim, who was also a child when the abuse occurred, expressed that she was left “terrified, confused and powerless”. She claimed Khan used his position of authority to “terrorise” her, adding that he “exploited” her faith and vulnerability.
Scotland Yard revealed that police first became aware of Khan’s offences in February 2018 when the youngest victim reported Khan to a teacher at her school.
During his interviews, Khan consistently denied the allegations, claiming it was a conspiracy and the victims had fabricated a story for revenge, the force added.
In February, he was convicted of nine counts of rape; four counts of sexual assault; two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13; five counts of rape of a child under 13; one count of assault by penetration.
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.
