Murder of ‘Little Man’ buried in shallow grave likened to ‘Hollywood film plot’

A man was allegedly killed, burned and buried in a shallow grave in woods in a “grim case” likened to a Hollywood film.

Mohammed Shah Subhani, 27, known as Little Man, was allegedly murdered when he visited R & J Plumbing in Hounslow, west London, on May 7 2019.

Prosecutor Tom Little KC told jurors: “He comes out rolled in a carpet, thrown into the back of a vehicle, driven away, moved from vehicle to vehicle, moved to the countryside, burnt and dumped.

“Sounds like something out of a Hollywood film but it is the grim reality of this case.”

It is a murder that appears to arise from, and be linked to, the criminal underworld of a number of those living in and around the flightpath to Heathrow

Brothers Amraj Poonia, 27, aka Bigs, and Raneel Poonia, 25, aka Ace, and Gurditta Singh, 26, are on trial at the Old Bailey accused of murder and perverting the course of justice.

Mohanad Riad, 22, known as Emz, Mahamud Ismail, 26, known as Major or Skinny, and Mohammed Shakeel, 29, are charged with perverting the course of justice.

Opening their trial on Wednesday, Mr Little said the victim was killed “behind closed doors” at the plumbing premises by at least three people.

He said: “It is a murder that appears to arise from, and be linked to, the criminal underworld of a number of those living in and around the flightpath to Heathrow.

“However, the criminality does not end with that murder in west London.

An elaborate and extensive attempt to pervert the course of justice was set in train and carried out and which very nearly succeeded

“Having murdered Mohammed Shah Subhani it was necessary for the defendants to cover up and clean up their crimes.

“That includes disposing of the body, moving and disposing of Mohammed Shah Subhani’s Audi Q3 motor vehicle, other vehicles and other items.”

Mr Little said the reason for the cover-up was to “try to avoid justice catching up” with the defendants.

He went on: “Accordingly, an elaborate and extensive attempt to pervert the course of justice was set in train and carried out and which very nearly succeeded.

“Following the murder, Mohammed Shah Subhani’s body was removed from R & J Plumbing and, having been kept in a vehicle or vehicles in London, was driven to the countryside in Buckinghamshire where it was partially burnt and then left in a shallow grave in a storm drain in a wooded area off the beaten track.”

Jurors heard how the venue for the killing was a Poonia family business and the motive was a dispute over missing drugs.

But the victim and Amraj Poonia were said to have been involved in the supply of cannabis which Mr Little said came with “risks, rivalries, suspicion, treachery, violence – and even murder”.

A local dealer named only as Robbie had asked Mr Subhani to look after a “very large” quantity of cannabis for him in April 2019, from which he took five kilos, it was claimed.

He entrusted Amraj Poonia with one kilo for “safe keeping” but that stash went missing, it was claimed.

Mr Little said there was no dispute that co-defendant Riad had recruited two local drug dealers to help stage a fake theft of the cannabis.

In the weeks before the killing, suspicions erupted in incidents of violence towards Amraj Poonia and/or Riad either by or for Mr Subhani, it was claimed.

The defendants from west London deny the charges against them.

The trial continues.