Four men and a woman appear in court charged with drive-by shooting murder of model law student Aya Hachem, 19, after she was gunned down outside Blackburn car wash
- Innocent passer-by Aya Hachem, 19, was walking to Lidl supermarket near her home when she was hit by a bullet fired from a passing Toyota car
- Feroz Suleman, Abubakir Satia, Uthman Satia, Judy Chapman and Kashif Manzoor, are charged with murder and the attempted murder of Pashar Khan
- The defendants, from Blackburn and Great Harwood, spoke only to confirm their name and address when they appeared at Preston Magistrates’ Court
Four men and a woman appeared in court today charged with the murder of a 19-year-old law student gunned down in an alleged drive-by shooting.
Innocent passer-by Aya Hachem was walking to Lidl supermarket near her home when she was hit by a bullet fired from a passing Toyota car.
The first of two shots struck a building but the second fatally pierced her chest.
Feroz Suleman, 39, Abubakir Satia, 31, Uthman Satia, 28, Judy Chapman, 26, and Kashif Manzoor, 24, are charged with murdering Aya and the attempted murder of Pashar Khan – their intended victim.
The defendants, from Blackburn and Great Harwood, spoke only to confirm their name and address when they appeared at Preston Magistrates’ Court.
The court was told that the allegations were so serious they could only be heard at the crown court and no applications for bail could be made.
Innocent passer-by Aya Hachem, 19, was walking to Lidl supermarket near her home when she was hit by a bullet fired from a passing Toyota car
Four men and a woman appeared in court today charged with the murder of a 19-year-old law student gunned down in an alleged drive-by shooting
All the defendants were wearing grey tracksuits, except for Suleman, who wore a Gucci jumper and blue jeans.
Suleman is the boss of RI Tyres firm in Blackburn which has three branches.
Magistrates agreed to a three-month closure order of the business following an application by Lancashire Police.
Abubakir Satia is a director of travel company Satia Tours, and appeared on an episode of Crimewatch in 2017 after being seriously injured after he attempted to stop a thief stealing his £35,000 BMW.
The five defendants will appear for a bail application hearing at Preston Crown Court on Wednesday.
Two men, aged 34 and 39 and from Blackburn, remain in custody on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
Feroz Suleman, 39, Abubakir Satia, 31, Uthman Satia, 28, Judy Chapman, 26, and Kashif Manzoor, 24, are charged with murdering Aya and the attempted murder of Pashar Khan
Lebanese-born Ms Hachem, a second year student at the University of Salford, was shot in King Street, Blackburn, Lancashire last Sunday at 3pm
Lebanese-born Ms Hachem, a second year student at the University of Salford, was shot in King Street, Blackburn, Lancashire last Sunday at 3pm.
Paramedics battled to save the Children’s Society charity volunteer, but she died a short while after she was taken to hospital.
Ms Hachem’s distraught parents said Aya, the eldest of four siblings, was the ‘most loyal, devoted daughter’ who enjoyed spending time with her family.
Her father Ismail Hachem arrived in the UK 10 years ago as an asylum seeker. According to family friends, he had been shot in crossfire in Lebanon and moved to England hoping for a new life.
He spent nine years as an asylum seeker before gaining British citizenship last year.
Ms Hachem’s former school paid tribute to her as ‘a beautiful young girl who fled her home country in search for a better life in the UK’.