An American woman allegedly hired to take part in the assassination of a British businessman is set to be charged with conspiracy to murder.
Aimee Betro was allegedly hired to kill Sikander Ali, a clothes boutique owner, on the orders of business rival Mohammed Aslam, 56, and his son Mohammed Nazir, 30.
The 44-year-old from Wisconsin is said to have disguised herself in a hijab before unsuccessfully trying to gun down Ali in Birmingham on Sept 7, 2019.
She was on the run until she was finally arrested by police in Armenia in July and was extradited to the UK.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has now authorised West Midlands Police to charge Ms Betro with conspiracy to murder a Birmingham resident.
ADVERTISEMENT
She is also set to be charged with possession of a firearm with intent and bringing ammunition into the UK.
Ben Samples, deputy chief crown prosecutor for the CPS in West Midlands, said: “CPS West Midlands has worked closely with West Midlands Police, Derbyshire Police, the Armenian authorities and our own Extradition Unit to bring Ms Betro back to face proceedings in a UK court for alleged crimes that took place here.
“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Ms Betro are active and that she has the right to a fair trial.
“It is extremely important there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
Ms Betro will appear at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 17 January.
Nazir and Islam were both found guilty of conspiracy to murder at Birmingham Crown Court in the summer and were given prison sentences of 32 years and 10 years respectively.
ADVERTISEMENT
The hearing was told Nazir and Aslam had held a grudge against Mr Ali’s family following a violent dispute at his boutique clothing store in Birmingham on July 21 2018. It resulted in the two men sustaining injuries and the shop windows being smashed.
Seeking revenge, the pair alleged to have flown Betro from the United States to kill Mr Ali and his family, the court was told. She is said to have worn a hijab to disguise herself and stayed at a number of hotels in Birmingham, Derby, Brighton and London while she was in the UK.
On the morning of Sept 7 2019, she allegedly tried to shoot Mr Ali outside a house in Acocks Green, Birmingham, but the gun jammed, the court heard.
She allegedly returned to the house by taxi and fired three shots at the property before ordering the driver to take her to a McDonald’s in Bordesley Green. No one was injured.
ADVERTISEMENT
Jurors were told that Betro fled back to her native Wisconsin two days later before going to ground.
Her mother, Jeanne Johnson, 62, appealed in The Telegraph for her daughter to hand herself in, saying: “She has nowhere else to go. She’s got to stop running.”
It is understood a combination of background details in Betro’s Instagram selfies and sunset photos taken from her living room window helped trace her to a gated housing complex on the northern outskirts of Yerevan, the Armenian capital.
EMEA Tribune is not involved in this news article, it is taken from our partners and or from the News Agencies. Copyright and Credit go to the News Agencies, email news@emeatribune.com Follow our WhatsApp verified Channel
