Man who used crossbow to murder brother and rival gang member jailed

Drug dealer, 47, who used a crossbow to murder his own brother and a rival gang member is jailed for at least 33 years

• Saghawat Ramzan, 47, killed 19-year-old Khuzaimah Douglas with a crossbow
• He also fatally injured his younger brother Waseem Ramzan by mistake
• Ramzan, his son Omar Ramzan and family friend Mohammed Sageer arrested
• All three men were unanimously convicted last month of murdering Mr Douglas 
• Ramzan also convicted of killing Waseem Ramzan at Wolverhampton Crown Court

A double-killer who used a crossbow to murder his own brother and a rival gang member has been ordered to serve a minimum term of 33 years.   

Convicted drug-dealer Saghawat Ramzan, 47,  killed kickboxer Khuzaimah Douglas around a minute after fatally injuring his younger brother Waseem Ramzan, 36, by mistake after a raid on the family’s cannabis factory in Brierley Hill, Dudley.

Ramzan, his son Omar and family friend Mohammed Sageer were all jailed for life for their roles in killing the two victims at Wolverhampton Crown Court today.

All three men were unanimously convicted last month of murdering Mr Douglas.

Saghawat Ramzan was also convicted of murdering Waseem Ramzan, while the other defendants were convicted of his manslaughter.

Saghawat Ramzan, his son Omar Ramzan and family friend Mohammed Sageer were all jailed for life for their roles in killing the two victims at Wolverhampton Crown Court

Today Saghawat Ramzan (pictured left grabbing a large crossbow and right his first attempt to fire it at gang) was also convicted of murdering  his brother Waseem Ramzan

Former KPMG accountant Omar Ramzan, a 24-year-old Lancaster University graduate, was handed a minimum term of 22 years.

While Edinburgh-born Sageer, 33, was ordered to serve at least 20 years before he can be considered for parole. 

A three-week trial was shown CCTV footage of the moment Saghawat Ramzan shot his brother in the stomach with the ‘horrific’ crossbow during a four-on-one punishment beating in response to a burglary at the cannabis grow.

A second bolt travelling at 270ft-per-second was fired at 19-year-old Mr Douglas less than a minute later, causing fatal internal injuries.

Mr Douglas was shot while being held on the ground and died at the scene outside the Ramzans’ home in Brierley Hill in the early hours of February 20 last year.

Waseem Ramzan died in hospital after the bolt that struck him was removed and hidden near the scene.

The defendants were charged with murder after police recovered CCTV footage from cameras set up to protect the four-room cannabis farm from raids by rival gangs.

As well as the killings, the footage showed Sageer, of Brierley Hill, arriving at the scene and handling a second crossbow.

Passing sentence, Judge Michael Chambers QC said it was clear all three defendants and Waseem Ramzan had knowledge of the 268-plant cannabis farm.

The judge said: ‘In endeavouring to protect that against a raid by a rival criminal group, you caught one of the raiders that was trying to escape.

‘You were all intent on causing him really serious harm.

‘This was on any view a truly appalling incident of considered violence to protect a criminal enterprise by exacting retribution and seeking to deter others.

‘Shortly before 3.30am, you Saghawat Ramzan must have become aware of what was happening through the CCTV cameras relayed to your iPad.’

During the armed struggle in Dudley, Waseem Ramzan (pictured) was hit by the crossbow

Khuzaimah Douglas was caught by the thugs fleeing the scene and was shot with the crossbow

The crossbow used by Saghawat Ramzan to kill his brother Waseem Ramzan and Mr Douglas

Judge Chambers said of the fatal struggle: ‘This was no fight. Khuzaimah Douglas was subjected to a concerted assault.

‘I am afraid, in relation to Khuzaimah Douglas you have shown no remorse.

‘I am satisfied this was a murder done for gain, namely the protection of the cannabis production operation.’

Omar Ramzan, who graduated in 2018 with a first class BSc in accounting and management studies, was caught on CCTV brandishing a knife and a smaller crossbow, as well as holding down Mr Douglas.

Offering mitigation before sentence, Phil Bradley QC said the finance worker, who was off work due to ill health at the time of the killings, had fallen in a ‘mighty way’ and was now ‘on the floor’.

The court heard Omar Ramzan had the fourth highest marks nationally when he graduated from university, before joining KPMG.

Mr Bradley said of Omar Ramzan: ‘He was an utterly driven individual.

‘This is an extraordinary story of somebody who excelled, despite being no more than an average student at an ordinary comprehensive, when he got to a red brick university.

‘It must be one of the greatest understatements to say that this was massively out of character.’

CCTV installed to protect the family’s cannabis factory captured brutal attack as Saghawat Ramzan (far left) reloaded his crossbow and fired it at Mr Douglas (pictured on the ground)

CCTV footage caught Waseem Ramzan being taken to hospital by Mohammed and Omar

Gary Bell QC, mitigating for Saghawat Ramzan, said: ‘If he ever gets out, it’s going to be in the deepest twilight of his life.

‘He himself will have to live with the knowledge that it was he who killed his own brother.’                   

Opening the Crown’s case last month, prosecutor Adrian Keeling QC said the property was being used to grow cannabis worth up to £225,000 a year.

Telling jurors a rival gang had attacked the rear of the cannabis factory at about 2.30am, Mr Keeling said of Saghawat and Omar Ramzan: ‘Despite the time of night, these two defendants were immediately aware of the attack and the fact it was taking place.’  

At the start of the trial, Mr Keeling told the jury: ‘They sprang into violent defence of the drug-growing operation.

‘Rather than let them (the rival gang) retreat into the night, they blocked their retreat and effectively boxed the raiders into the house.

‘The raiders had no real choice but to smash a window at the front of the house… and try to get away.’

Officers in Brierley Hill, West Midlands, where Waseem Ramzan and Mr Douglas were killed

Police staff covering broken windows of a house on Pensnett Road where the farm was found

Mr Keeling told the court that as Mr Douglas struggled to fend off four assailants, Saghawat Ramzan fired the first of two crossbow bolts.

The barrister told jurors: ‘He didn’t need to do so. He fired the bolt from almost point-blank range and, in doing that, he must have intended at least really serious harm, if not to kill.’

Waseem Ramzan suffered a wound to his pelvis, which caused massive blood loss and severe injuries to multiple internal organs.  

Detective Chief Inspector Munro added: ‘The actions of these three men were shocking, brutal and calculated.

‘To protect their cannabis grow, they were happy to use extreme violence in a brutal and sustained attack on Khuzaimah.

‘We believe they wanted to send a clear message to the people who’d attempted to rob their cannabis factory.

‘However, Saghawat also killed his own brother during the attack which further highlights their determination to cause serious harm and just how dangerous their weapons were.

‘There is no place on our streets for violence like this or the armoury of weapons they chose to have and ultimately use.

‘Two lives have been lost because these men decided to use extreme violence in an attempt to protect their illegal drug business.’

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