Court hears murder accused had 'no love in her eyes'

A mother had 'no love in her eyes' for the daughter she is accused of murdering, her sister-in-law told a jury.

44-year-old Nadia Ahmed was giving evidence for the second day at the trial of Sadia Ahmed, 28, who denies murdering 14-month-old Inaya by placing a pillow over her face or shaking her by the body in April in Drumchapel.

Mrs Ahmed, who is murder accused Ahmed's sister-in-law was asked if she had concerns about how Ahmed cared for her daughter and replied: “I was concerned and I had told my mum that in Sadia's eyes I never saw any love for Inaya. She did not look after her.”

The witness told prosecutor Paul Kearney at the High Court in Glasgow that she spoke to Ahmed just days after Inaya's life support machine was switched off on April 20, last year.

She said: “Sadia said she put Inaya down on the bed and put a pillow over her face.”

Mr Kearney then said: “Did you asked her why she did that,” and Mrs Ahmed replied: “I asked: 'Did you come downstairs with the intention to take Inaya back upstairs and kill her,' and she said: 'Yes.”

“She was completely normal, it seemed as if it was nothing to her. I felt as if everything had stopped. Everything had frozen. I was wondering if my ears were hearing the right words.

“The conversation lasted a few minutes. After that I did not ask any more.”

Mrs Ahmed told the court that in June this year during Ramadan Ahmed phoned her and said: “I'm phoning you to ask you for forgiveness.”

She said she told the murder accused: “I forgive you for the sake of Allah.”

The witness told the jury that Ahmed then said to her: “If you have forgiven me why have you given a statement to the police.”

The court heard that in the police statement Mrs Ahmed told of conversations which she alleges she had with Ahmed.

She was asked about her initial police statement which she gave at Drumchapel police statement on april 25, last year, in which she said: 'I don't have any concerns about how Sadia treated Inaya and how she fedd her.”

Mrs Ahmed also intially told police that Inaya choked on food.

When asked about this Mrs Ahmed replied: “My first police statement was a lie, but i'm telling the truth today.”

The trial before judge Lord Matthews continues