A teenager of Indian heritage was kidnapped, raped and murdered in a suspected “honour killing” due to being in a relationship with an Arab man, a court has heard.
Police found the body of Celine Dookhran, 19, stuffed into a fridge with a slit throat after another 21-year-old woman, who had also been attacked, raised the alarm from hospital.
Ms Dookhran and her friend, aged in her 20s, were allegedly tied up with duct tape and rope and bundled into a car after being tased by masked men on Wednesday.
Both women were reportedly taken to a house in south-west London where they were raped and Ms Dookhran was murdered.
The other woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was admitted to hospital with stab wounds when she told police where Ms Dookhran was.
Binita Roscoe, for the prosecution alleges that Mujahid Arshid, 33, murdered the aspiring makeup artist for being in a relationship with an Arab Muslim man.
Speaking of the surviving woman’s ordeal, Roscoe told the court: “Her face and mouth were covered in duct tape. Her hands were tied with cable ties and her feet were tied with rope.
“She believes a sock was placed in her mouth. She had heard the deceased who was in the shower screaming.
“The deceased was brought down tied up. They were bound in dust sheets and placed in a vehicle.”
Arshid has also been charged with the rape, attempted murder and kidnap of the second victim.
Vincent Tappu, 28, from west London, is charged with kidnapping both women.
At the time her body was found, UK police Detective Chief Inspector Sam Price condemned the “despicable attack”.
“We are doing everything we can to fully understand the circumstances of this despicable attack on two young women.
“The death of the 19-year-old woman is being treated as murder and the attack on the 21-year-old is being treated as attempted murder. We are appealing for anyone with information to contact us.”
The 19-year-old was an active Twitter user and posted about her keen interest in makeup, looking after her brothers and Ramadan.
Her last tweet, posted eight days before her death, said “Alhamdulillah [praise God] for everything that’s all I can say”.
Both defendants remain in custody and will appear in court again on August 21.
