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A delivery driver accused of murdering a 71-year-old millionairess in her home told a murder trial that he woke up, went downstairs and found her dead in the living room.
Romanian Mohammed El-Abboud, 24, was living in victim Louise Kam’s house after his friend, a 28-year-old chef named Kusai Al-Jundi, promised to buy the property in a £6 million deal.
Ms Kam drove her BMW to the house in East Barnet on July 26 2021, thinking a lawyer would be there to finalise arrangements with the pair, but would never leave home alive.
El-Abboud and Al-Jundi strangled the woman and dumped her body in a bin which was found three days later outside Al-Jundi’s home, the Old Bailey heard.
Romanian Mohammed El-Abboud (right), 24, was living in victim Louise Kam’s (left) house, after his friend promised to buy the property in a £6 million deal
Al-Jundi offered Ms Kam £6 million he did not have after conning another woman out of her Audi TT and a Toyota Rav 4 by promising to pay £57,000 and giving her nothing, it was said.
Giving evidence today, El-Abboud told jurors he was living in Ms Kam’s home in Gallants Farm Road on the day she died.
‘I came downstairs and I saw Ms Louise laid down in the living room,’ he told jurors.
‘I saw Ms Louise and I got scared and I was shocked and I started to cry. I felt a reaction I do not know how to explain.’
Graham Trembath, defending, asked El-Abboud: ‘Was the body moving at all?’
This Audi TT was stolen from another woman by the two men, El-Abboud and Al-Jundi, who strangled Louise Kam and dumped her body in a bin, it is alleged
El-Abboud said: ‘I didn’t pay attention because I was so shocked…I didn’t have time to do anything because my phone was ringing.’
Al-Jundi had called El-Abboud using his friend Maria Amariucai’s number – with call records showing they spoke for more than 22 minutes, the court heard.
El-Abboud told the court: ‘I said “What have you done? Have you killed a woman?” I was crying and shouting and he said: “Shut the f*** up the neighbours will hear you”.
‘I was just shaking and crying and then he said “shut up don’t worry because I will clean up all of this mess”.
‘At that time I started to shake again and I heard Maria say please calm down.
‘I went up to my room, I was by my bed and I kept crying and I said: “What should I do now you have destroyed my life?” and he said don’t worry.
‘I said I will call the police and he said do not make this mistake because nobody will believe me.
‘He said: “Listen to me, you’ve got no house, no money, no family – you’ve got nothing and you don’t even know how to speak English. But I do have money, I have power and I can sort out absolutely everything so don’t worry, calm down. I can sort out this mess, I promise you I will not get you into trouble”.’
El-Abboud continued and said he went back downstairs to the living room.
‘The room was smelling very badly…her face was changed, it was black,’ he said.
‘I ran upstairs and I put my clothes on. I stayed thinking, what should I do? I was alone and I didn’t know what to do.’
Mr Trembath, defending, asked: ‘Mr El-Abboud, why did you not ring the police?’
He replied: ‘I was afraid – I didn’t know what to do.’
Mr Trembath asked: ‘Why did you not call an ambulance?’
El-Abboud replied: ‘I got scared – this was the first time I had experience anything like this. I just woke up, came downstairs and saw a dead woman in the living room.’
‘How did you know she was dead?,’ Mr Trembath asked.
El-Abboud said: ‘I didn’t know, but when I saw her, my phone was ringing straight away and the colour of her face had changed. I don’t know how, but I knew she was dead.’
Al-Jundi, of Wood End Road, Harrow, and El-Abboud, whose last address was Gallants Farm Road, Barnet, both deny Ms Kam’s murder.
Al-Jundi has chosen not to give evidence before the jury. The trial continues.
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