A chilling courtroom drama unfolded as a DPD delivery worker recounted pleading “don’t kill me” while being stabbed in the heart during a violent robbery, a court was told.
Mahamed Mahamad, 37, stands accused of repeatedly stabbing Aqeef Ali—allegedly thrusting a knife at him at least 29 times—in the early hours of July 26 last year on Gibson Road, Handsworth. The prosecution asserts that the attack was a deliberate attempt to kill after Mr. Ali refused to surrender his bag.
Standing trial at Birmingham Crown Court, Mahamad denies attempted murder and has an alternative charge of wounding with intent.
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Prosecutor Andrew Wallace described the attack as “a savage assault that escalated when the victim resisted.” He explained that Mr. Ali had just finished his shift at the DPD depot in Smethwick and was walking home after being dropped off away from his front door.
Mr. Wallace said Mahamad, who was also dropped off in the area, likely followed Mr. Ali after spotting him using his phone. As Mr. Ali grew increasingly nervous, he stopped outside a home equipped with CCTV, where the defendant confronted him, demanding his phone and bag.
A violent struggle ensued, with Mahamad punching, kicking, and brandishing a large serrated knife—the knife itself has not been recovered. According to the prosecutor, Mahamad’s aggression intensified after Mr. Ali resisted, with neighbors drawn out by the noise. One neighbor intervened just as the repeated stabbing continued, witnessing Mr. Ali fighting for his life and pleading, “don’t kill me.”
At one point, the defendant allegedly threatened, “Do you want to die tonight?” The assault left Mr. Ali stabbed in the heart, requiring life-saving surgery, as well as with a serious cheek wound.
Mr. Wallace emphasized the severity of the attack, stating it was not just a robbery gone wrong but a clear intent to kill: “Twenty-nine thrusts with a large knife—this goes far beyond a mere scuffle over a bag.”
The courtroom viewed CCTV footage of the incident. After his arrest, Mahamad chose to make no comment. The defendant disputes the intent to cause such harm, arguing that injury was accidental during the robbery.
The trial remains ongoing.