MANCHESTER: A man accused of the killing a shopkeeper beaten to death with wooden stakes, has been cleared of murdering the father of two.
In April 2004, Alfred Kurti, 31, along with a mob allegedly attacked Kulvinder Singh (popularly known as 'Bob') who was with his friends, in the Burning Balti takeaway, Cheetham Hill, Manchester.
The assault in the early hours came after Mr Singh’s friends allegedly argued with two Albanian men in the takeaway, prompting the gang to return armed with planks.
Mr Singh, who was 31, suffered fatal injuries after his head was stamped on several times. He had already been knocked unconscious with a wooden stake and was lying helpless on the ground.
During a trial at Manchester Crown Court it was alleged that Alfred Kurti, 31, had spent years on the run after the murder. He pleaded not guilty to a single count of murder and the jury found him not guilty after deliberating since last Friday.
Mr Singh’s family were in court alongside police officers who investigated the case as the verdict was read out.
The jury was told a witness known as Witness B, claimed that Mr Kurti confessed to the stamping attack to him in the aftermath of the incident in the takeaway. Though it was found that Mr Singh wasn’t involved in the argument and was ‘completely innocent’ in the event that led to his death.
The court heard that it was believed that Witness B allegedly 'had the motive and opportunity’ to commit the crime and said it must have been a case of mistaken identity.
The witness, who is an ethnic Albanian, has given evidence against other Albanian men convicted of offenses connected to the killing of Mr Singh in two previous trials, but has allegedly changed his mind repeatedly.
