- Man sentenced to life with 28-year minimum for murdering estranged wife in Bradford
- Habibur Rahman Masum convicted of murder, threats, assault, and stalking
- Masum tracked wife using phone location and sent threatening messages
A 26-year-old man who stabbed his estranged wife to death on a busy Bradford street has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 28 years.
In June, Habibur Rahman Masum of Burnley, Lancashire, UK, was convicted of murder, one count of threatening to kill, one count of assault by beating, and another count of stalking his wife, Kulsama Akter.
On July 22, Marie Walsh of the Crown Prosecution Service noted that Habibur Masum was a "violent and dangerous man" who tortured his estranged wife to "violence and domestic abuse," forcing her to flee their home and live in a safehouse in Bradford.
"This was a callous and shocking murder for which the court has convicted Masum," Ms Walsh added.
Masum traced his wife, who was staying at a safe place after fleeing harassment and violence at the hands of her husband, using the location of her phone. He sent her "menacing" messages-which included videos, pictures, and threats to kill, The Guardian reported.
On Saturday, April 6, 2024, Ms Akter, accompanied by a friend, was pushing their infant son in a pram when her husband confronted her outside a women's shelter.
After she rejected his entreaties, Masum took a knife out of his pocket and attacked her. According to the prosecution, he stabbed Ms Akter over 25 times, aiming for her face, neck, and chest, in what the judge called a "sustained and excessively violent" attack.
The man also "stamped on her" before "cutting her throat," which horrified the witnesses. Despite receiving emergency care, Ms Akter died in the hospital later that day, per PEOPLE.
Terrifying CCTV footage showed Masum calmly leaving the scene and boarding a bus. He was arrested near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, approximately 175 miles from Bradford, following a three-day manhunt.
In a heartfelt statement, Ms Akter's family described her as a "loving, caring, and kind soul" with a "beautiful smile that would light up any room."
"We will never forgive the monster who took Kulsuma from us... The beast that brutally robbed Kulsuma of her little boy... He will never know her beauty and her kindness," they said.
