A chef accused of murdering a millionairess in her home when she refused to hand over her property portfolio to him offers no evidence to jury.
Kusai Al-Jundi, 28, and delivery driver, Mohammed El-Abboud, 24, were accused of murdering Louise Kam, 71, in her home in Barnet.
Al-Jundi was also indicted of being a ‘Walter Mitty’ character who tried to rip off Mrs Kam, 71, after offering her £6 million he did not have for her house and block of flats.
The court heard that Mrs Kam, 71, drove her BMW convertible to her house on Gallants Farm Road, East Barnet, thinking a lawyer would be there to finalise arrangements with the pair on July 26 last year, but she would never leave alive.
Mohammed El-Abboud, 24, (pictured) and Kusai Al-Jundi, 28, were accused of murdering a millionairess when she refused to give him her property portfolio
Louise Kam, 71, (pictured) was killed on July 26, 2021 after a meeting with Kusai Al-Jundi and Mohammed El Abboud in her home in Barnet, North London a jury has been told
Her body was found in a bin three days later outside Al-Jundi’s home in Wood End Road, Harrow, the Old Bailey, London, has heard.
His barrister Martin Rutherford told the court today he was offering no evidence at all on behalf of Al-Jundi – this means Al-Jundi will not take the witness stand.
Mr Rutherford confirmed he had warned his client that the jury were entitled to think poorly of Al Jundi for not giving any evidence.
The court heard how Al-Jundi told another woman that he would give her £57,000 for her Audi TT and a Toyota Rav 4.
He had also declared his undying love for Anna Reich, who was in her sixties, but once the cars were handed over she never saw a penny of her money.
Al-Jundi promised to pay Anna Reich £57,000 for her Audi TT (pictured) and a Toyota Rav 4 as he declared his undying love for the older Ms Reich, the Old Bailey was told
Al-Jundi had been promising Mrs Kam he would buy the house on Gallants Farm Road together with the three flats and a shop she owned in Willesden High Road in the multi-million pound deal.
He told Mrs Kam he was being backed by Ms Reich – and tried to trick Ms Reich to come to meetings pretending that he needed her to help translate.
El-Abboud admits that he was at the house when Mrs Kam arrived – but in a so called ‘cut throat defence’ his lawyer, Giles Trembath, claims he was in another room asleep when Al-Jundi murdered her.
In police interviews, Romanian El-Abboud said he had only been in the country a couple of months when he became involved with Al-Jundi.
His barrister Martin Rutherford told the court at the Old Bailey he would be offering no evidence at all on behalf of Al-Jundi, meaning Al-Jundi will not take the witness stand
He did not have permission to work in the UK but had been employed as a Deliveroo driver and in a Disney warehouse. El-Abboud then went on to work for Al-Jundi at the Yasmeen Shamin restaurant on Willesden High Road near to Mrs Kam’s flats.
The chef managed to persuade Mrs Kam to allow Al-Jundi to move into the house Gallants Farm Road and he was living there when she died.
He said of Al-Jundi: ‘I would do anything he wanted’ but he was never asked to do anything he could not do.’
But he said he was not being threatened by Al-Jundi
El-Abboud is said to have previously confessed to Al-Jundi’s girlfriend, Maria Amariucai (pictured)
El-Abboud insisted to police he had nothing to do with the killing of Mrs Kam and had no idea what happened to her.
He is said to have confessed to Al-Jundi’s girlfriend, model Maria Amariucai and told her: ‘I can’t really believe that he had killed that lady.’
El-Abboud said the confession was ‘not true.’
Al-Jundi, of Wood End Road, Harrow, and El-Abboud, whose last address was Gallants Farm Road, Barnet, both deny Ms Kam’s murder.
The Recorder of London, Judge Mark Lucraft adjourned the trial until January 9 and told the jury he was giving them a ‘good, restful break’ from the case.