Convicted TikTok influencer Mahek Bukhari, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of her mother’s lover and his friend, has appealed to the UK Court of Appeal, arguing that her prison term is “wholly disproportionate.”
24-year-old Mahek Bukhari is currently serving a minimum of 31 years for orchestrating the deaths of Saqib Hussain and Hashim Ijazuddin, who were killed in a high-speed car chase in Leicester in February 2022. Her mother, Ansreen Bukhari, was also convicted and sentenced to a minimum of 26 years for her role in the killings.
Background of the Case
The murders stemmed from an affair between 46-year-old Ansreen Bukhari and 21-year-old Saqib Hussain, who reportedly threatened to expose intimate material of her unless she paid him £3,000. Prosecutors said the Bukharis lured Hussain and his friend Ijazuddin to a Tesco car park in Leicester under the guise of returning the money.
However, once there, the pair were ambushed and chased along the A46 by two cars driven by associates of the Bukharis — a Seat Leon and an Audi TT — reaching speeds of up to 100mph before the victims’ vehicle was rammed off the road and burst into flames.
Four men were also convicted in the case — Rekan Karwan and Raees Jamal for murder, and Ameer Jamal, Sanaf Gulamustafa, and Natasha Akhtar for manslaughter.
Defense Argument
During the appeal hearing, Christopher Millington KC, representing Mahek Bukhari, said the original sentencing did not adequately consider the “controlling and threatening behavior” of Hussain towards Ansreen. He argued that the blackmail and emotional distress played a key role in influencing the Bukharis’ actions.
Millington told the court that the murder was committed “in the heat of the moment rather than being a cold-blooded, premeditated act,” emphasizing Mahek’s youth, immaturity, and lack of experience.
He added, “The threats made by Hussain were part of a long campaign of intimidation. None of this was properly reflected in the fixing of the minimum term. The result is a sentence that is wholly disproportionate.”
Prosecution Response
Representing the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Collingwood Thompson KC acknowledged that Hussain had blackmailed Ansreen, but said this did not justify the killings.
“The fact is that the appellant and her mother had the option to report the threats to police,” he told the court. “Had they done so, none of this tragedy would have occurred.”
The appeal was heard by Lord Justice Warby, Mr Justice Lavender, and Judge Sylvia De Bertodano, who said their decision would be reserved and issued in writing at a later date.
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