Teen asylum seeker whose ‘dad was murdered by Taliban’ travelled 150 miles to kill

WARNING, DISTRESSING CONTENT: Sulaiman Tajzai has been jailed for life with a minimum 25-year term after he travelled more than 150 miles to murder a London shop worker in a ‘savage’ knife attack

A teenage asylum seeker has been handed a life sentence after he journeyed more than 150 miles to carry out a “savage” knife attack, killing a man due to a personal vendetta.

During his trial, Sulaiman Tajzai, an 18-year-old Afghan from Leeds, admitted to the murder of shop worker Farmanullah Sherzad, aged 26, in London on March 27.

On Friday, Judge Angela Rafferty KC sentenced him to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years for murder and possession of a knife at the Old Bailey. The judge stated that Tajzai had tracked down Mr Sherzad “like prey”, travelling from Leeds to ambush the victim outside his London residence.

She described the assault as “exceptionally violent” and “savage”, carried out in public view, with Mr Sherzad being stabbed at least 10 times.

Tajzai had harboured a “personal grudge” against Mr Sherzad, falsely believing that he was a member of the Taliban and had pursued his cousin’s wife with the intention of sleeping with her.

The court heard that the defendant’s father had previously been kidnapped by the Taliban and was suspected to have been murdered by them.

However, in victim impact statements, Mr Sherzad’s family portrayed him as a “friendly, polite, respectful person who was always well mannered and tolerant”.

The court was told about his love for cricket, his talent as a “very good fast bowler”, and his strong work ethic, often working six or seven days a week.

Prosecutor Lisa Wilding KC revealed that Tajzai had claimed to be 14 years old when he arrived in the UK in August 2022, subsequently applying for asylum the following year.

Frida Hussain, KC, defending, explained that the defendant was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder due to frequent exposure to violence in his village and the loss of family members.

In March this year, when he was 18, he murdered Mr Sherzad outside his Westminster home after police informed his family that the victim would not face charges for stalking his cousin’s wife.

In October of the previous year, police had been called to the Leeds home of the defendant’s cousin and his wife, where they discovered Mr Sherzad sitting on the floor, his wrists bound with fabric and without shoes.

Mr Sherzad was arrested on suspicion of stalking and trespassing with intent to commit a sexual offence, the court heard. However, he later told police that he was in a relationship with the wife, who had invited him to visit her in Leeds via the social media platform Snapchat, the court was informed.

After his release, the defendant’s cousin and his wife contacted the police multiple times and were eventually informed that there would be “no further action” taken against Mr Sherzad.

In January, Tajzai travelled to London to scout out the area near the convenience store where Mr Sherzad worked in south London and his home address. On the day of the murder, he armed himself with a kitchen knife and took a train from Leeds to London.

CCTV footage showed him arriving at London’s King’s Cross station wearing a medical facemask, a distinctive jacket and dark gloves. He was captured on camera traversing London before arriving at Mr Sherzad’s residence in Abbey Orchard Street.

Mr Sherzad finished work at 10pm and cycled home, where Tajzai was lying in wait for him. CCTV footage revealed a struggle, followed by Mr Sherzad fleeing “screaming for his life” as Tajzai assaulted him, leaving him in a pool of blood.

After inflicting fatal injuries on Mr Sherzad, Tajzai fled the scene and returned to Leeds by train the following day.

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