CCTV caught killer buying hammer he used to murder wife

A HUSBAND is facing life behind bars after being found guilty of murdering his wife with a claw hammer before dumping her body in a bath in their flat.

A jury took less than an hour to find Yahya Babiker unanimously guilty of carrying out the brutal attack on his student wife as their children slept next door.

Babiker then wrapped the blood-soaked body of his wife, Randa Kamblawi, in a duvet and dumped her in a bath before fleeing from Scotland.

He had claimed his wife had slipped twice in the bath and hit her head on the taps, but the jury at the High Court in Perth rejected his version of events at the end of a 12-day trial.

Babiker, 45, a prisoner at HMP Edinburgh, was found guilty of murdering Mrs Kamblawi, 34, by repeatedly hitting her with a claw hammer at their home at Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, on 19 or 20 October last year.

The shopfitter had gone out on the afternoon of 19 October to purchase the murder weapon – he was caught on CCTV spending 3.99 on a Homebase Value claw hammer.

He was seen trying out a crowbar for size before picking up the claw hammer and paying for it. Further CCTV images showed him returning to the flat.

Sometime later that night he launched a murderous attack on his wife of eight years as she lay in bed, hitting her at least five times with the hammer.

Her skull was severely fractured, and blood splashes were left on the walls in the bedroom and hallway as he moved her body to the bathroom.

Babiker then tried to flee to Paris, but did not have enough money for a flight so went to London, before returning to Edinburgh and handing himself in at a hospital in the city.

He claimed to police that he had pushed his wife in the bath as a "joke" because the water was cold and that she had slipped and fallen and struck her head twice.

But the jury accepted the Crown's contention that Babiker had shown "evil intent" by buying the claw hammer, and that the CCTV footage from Homebase was "very damning".

Advocate depute Pino di Medio told the jury: "You have seen the murder weapon being selected. It might be thought to be an unforgettable piece of evidence."

He added: "It is the Crown's position that Yahya Babiker took Randa Kamblawi's body into the bathroom and dumped her body in the bath.

"She was subjected to a violent, lethal attack," Mr di Medio said. "There were at least five blows. He has attempted to clean up. That must have taken some considerable time."

The jury was not given any background evidence to explain the motive for the attack and they were described as a "normal" couple who were an active part of Edinburgh's Sudanese community.

Judge Lady Stacey said she could only impose a life sentence, but added that the recommended minimum custodial period would be decided after reports had been prepared.

Babiker will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on 29 June.