Beckenham brothers jailed for kidnapping and blackmail

Beckenham brothers Bilal and Zachariya Rakik have been sentenced to over seven years in prison each for kidnapping and blackmailing a man they lured to Lewisham with a fake dating profile. The pair threatened to kill Ali Almafraji at sunrise unless he paid £30,000.

Kidnapping and Blackmail Plot

The kidnapping began on Clarendon Rise, off Lewisham High Street, at around 10pm on September 10, 2023. The brothers created a fake profile on the Azar video chat app, using a photo of an attractive woman, to lure Mr Almafraji to the meeting point. He believed he was meeting the woman pictured but was instead met by Bilal, 28, and Zachariya, 26, who were wearing balaclavas and gloves. They entered his car and threatened him with what he believed was a real semi-automatic handgun, though it was later found to be an imitation. Judge Martin Yale stated that the plan was the culmination of several weeks of planning, albeit flawed.

After Mr Almafraji stated he had no money, the brothers accessed his phone and contacted four friends to demand the ransom. They imposed a deadline, threatening that he would be killed by first light if the money was not raised. One friend reported hearing the brothers say, 'When the dim light starts shining, just think of us. It's finished.'

Police Intervention and Sentencing

Mr Almafraji's friends alerted the Metropolitan Police, providing his car's registration plate. Officers from the Met Police's Flying Squad tracked the vehicle to Bell Green Retail Park in Sydenham and then followed it to Maylons Road in Ladywell. At approximately 4:20am on September 11, 2023, with dawn approaching, armed officers forced the car to stop. They stormed the vehicle, smashing the glass and extracting Mr Almafraji to safety.

Bilal and Zachariya Rakik, who had no previous convictions, admitted conspiring to kidnap and blackmail, as well as possessing a firearm. They had initially claimed they were forced into the act by other criminals, but this defence was abandoned. At Woolwich Crown Court on September 11, Bilal was jailed for seven years and two months, and Zachariya received a sentence of seven years and one month. Judge Yale commended the Flying Squad for their skill, speed, efficiency, and bravery.

What Happens Next

The brothers have been in custody since their arrest and will serve their sentences for kidnapping, blackmail, and possessing a firearm. Their defence lawyers submitted that they are remorseful and have learned a significant lesson.