TikTok influencer Mahek Bukhari admits to telling lies to detectives in A46 murder trial
ITV News Central Rajiv Popat reports from Leicester Crown Court on the TikTok influencer who's accused of murder
A TikTok influencer accused of murdering her mother's young lover has admitted to a jury she told "hours of lies" to detectives in an interview.
Mahek Bukhari and seven others are on trial for killing Saqib Hussain and his friend Hashim Ijazuddin, both aged 21.
Saqib Hussain, the former lover of Mahek's mother, Ansreen, and his friend, Hashim Ijazuddin, died in a crash on the A46 in Leicestershire.
The prosecution claim Saqib, who had been blackmailing Ansreen, was trying to get away after realising a meeting with Mahek and Ansreen Bukhari at Tesco in Hamilton, Leicester, where he hoped to be paid £3,000, was a trap.
Saqib and Hashim were driving up the A46 at 100mph, followed by Mahek and seven co-accused in two cars, when the fatal crash happened.
Giving evidence, Mahek said she had not intended any harm to Mr Hussain.
Leicester Crown Court has previously heard Mr Hussain had repeatedly threatened to send explicit videos and images of his lover to her husband after she broke off their three-year affair.
Saqib Hussain and Hashim Ijazuddin, died instantly when their Skoda Fabia smashed into a tree and caught fire.
The two women travelled from Stoke-on-Trent to meet Saqib at the Leicester supermarket.
Mahek Bukhari was asked why she and her mother took the other six defendants to the meeting.
She said she wanted co-accused Rekan Karwan there "just so I felt more safer" and that "usually he'd be with [fellow defendant] Raees Jamal", but she said she had not expected the other four to go along too.
When asked what she feared Saqib might do, she said: "He'd maybe attack us."
After Saqib and Hashim fled from the Tesco car park meeting at about 1.20am on Friday, February 11 last year, Mahek said she was going after Saqib to try to persuade him to stop.
She admitted she had shown Mr Jamal a photograph of Mr Hussain so he knew what he looked like and that she wanted Mr Hussain to "get rid" of the sexual images he had in his possession and also to "pay him off".
She was asked by her barrister, Christopher Millington KC, if she wanted Saqib to stop so that he could be assaulted, harmed or killed. Mahek said no.
Mr Millington asked: "When you left Stoke, had it entered your mind that something like this might happen?" She said no.
After the crash, Mahek and Ansreen stayed in Leicestershire for about two hours and then headed home.
About four hours after arriving back at their home, the police visited them.
But when the police asked her where she had been with her mother that night, she said Nottingham.
Mr Millington asked her if that had been the truth, and she said no.
She continued to lie during lengthy police interviews, which the jury at Leicester Crown Court has already seen.
She was asked today how she felt about what she told the police, and she said: "I feel ashamed."
Mr Millington asked her: "During hours of interview, did you lie repeatedly?" Mahek said yes.
He asked: "Did you realise the gravity of the position you were in? Did you understand the allegation of murder that was being made against you?" She said yes.
The eight defendants, who all deny two counts of murder, are:
Natasha Akhtar (22) of Alum Rock Road, Birmingham
Ansreen Bukhari (47) of George Eardley Close, Stoke
Mahek Bukhari (24) of George Eardley Close, Stoke
Raees Jamal (22) of Lingdale Close, Loughborough
Rekan Karwan (28) of Tomlin Road, Leicester
Mohammed Patel (20) of Braybrooke Road, Leicester
Sanaf Gulammustafa (22) of Littlemore Close, Crown Hills, Leicester
Ameer Jamal (27) of Catherine Street, Belgrave, Leicester
The trial continues.