Toddler's aunt tells murder trial 'Inaya did not choke on bread'

The aunt of a tragic toddler yesterday told a murder jury: “Inaya did not choke on bread. She was killed and Sadia killed her.”

Shagufta Yasmin, 45, was giving evidence for a second day at the trial of her sister-in-law Sadia Ahmed who denies murdering her 14-month-old daughter Inaya on April 17, 2016, at 47 Bernisdale Drive, Glasgow.

Ahmed is also accused of assaulting Inaya on various occasions between February 12, 2015, and April 16, last year, by force feeding bottles and syringes containing milk.

Earlier the jury was shown a video of toddler Inaya being fed with a syringe by Mrs Yasmin surrounded by members of her family.

As the footage was screened Mrs Yasmin broke down it tears and so did the accused Ahmed.

Defence QC Ian Duguid asked Mrs Yasmin: “Are you the person with the syringe in the film,” and she replied: “Yes."

The QC then said: “On one occasion when she is flat on her back you used a syringe to inject milk in her mouth.” and Mrs Yasmin responded: "I was just trying to feed her.”

Mr Duguid said that Ahmed was charged with assaulting her daughter by feeding her with a syringe and then added “But you weren't charged with that,” and Mrs Yasmin replied: “No, I did it lovingly. I used car keys to distract her.”

The QC then said: “You said yesterday Sadia didn't want a girl, but she comes from a family of five sisters and two brothers is that right,” and Mrs Yasmin replied: “Yes.'

Mr Duguid went on: “You are saying Sadia didn't want to have a girl, wasn't it that her mother-in-law Noor Ahmed and her husband Suleman didn't want her to have a girl,” and the witness replied: “No that's not true. They liked Inaya better than a boy.

Mrs Yasmin claimed that Ahmed was unhappy when an ultrasound scan revealed the child she was carrying was a girl and added: “Sadia said she wanted an abortion.”

Mr Duguid said: “you have turned the story on its head when Sadia told everyone she was having a girl Noor was unhappy, is that not correct,” and she replied: “No.

The QC added: “Did Sadia not say 'Do you want me to get an abortion, I'm not going to have an abortion,.' She was the one happy having a girl and it was the family and Noor and Suleman, in particular, who were not happy,” and Mrs Yasmin replied: “ She was sure she was going to have a boy. She is lying. The family were all happy.”

Mr Duguid asked: Did Noor not throw away the scan photograph,” and Mrs Yasmin said: “This is a lie.”

The trial before judge Lord Matthews continues