Sabah Khan, 27, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 22 years after admitting the frenzied murder of her sister, Saima Khan, 34. The attack occurred on 23 May 2016 at their family home in Luton, Bedfordshire, while Saima's four children were asleep upstairs.
The court heard that Sabah, who was having an affair with Saima's husband, Hafeez Rehman, lured her sister home from work by sending messages claiming her youngest daughter was crying. Saima, a care worker, was stabbed at least 68 times with a kitchen knife, with one blow severing her carotid arteries and jugular vein. Neighbours heard her screams.
During the attack, Saima's eldest daughter called out asking if Sabah was killing their mother. Sabah shouted for them to stay upstairs. She then smashed a window, concealed the murder weapon and blood-stained clothing in bin liners, and called emergency services, claiming a burglary had occurred.
The prosecution revealed that Sabah had researched murder methods online, including buying poisonous snakes and a page titled '16 steps to kill someone and not get caught'. She also paid a black magician in Pakistan £5,000 to cast a spell to kill her sister. In WhatsApp messages, Sabah referred to Saima as a 'bitch' and accused Rehman of marrying her for a passport.
Rehman told police that Sabah had instigated the affair and threatened self-harm if he tried to end it. However, the defence argued that Rehman had continued the relationship until days before the murder. Sabah pleaded guilty to murder at the Old Bailey on Tuesday and was sentenced on Thursday.
