Man charged with robbery conspiracy at gunpoint ‘didn’t know who Amir Khan was’

The 2004 Olympic silver medalist, 36, was targeted as he and his wife, Faryal Makhdoom, 31, left the Sahara Grill restaurant in Leyton, east London, on April 18 this year last.

Khan was forced to hand over his bespoke £70,000 diamond-encrusted rose gold Franck Muller watch by gunman Dante Campbell, 20, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.

Campbell and Ahmed Bana, 25, who drove the robbers to and from the scene in a silver Mercedes coupé, admitted their role in the plot.

Two other men – Ismail Mohamed, 24, and Nurul Amin, 25 – are on trial accused of acting as “observers” with Hamza Kulane, who is not on trial.

The three reportedly dined at the restaurant to follow Mr. Khan’s movements and relay them by phone to Bana.

Mohamed, from Edmonton, and Amin, from Harringay, both in north London, deny conspiring to steal.

Amin chose not to testify, while Mohamed told jurors on Monday that he had not heard of Khan until he accompanied his friends to a restaurant to break their Ramadan fast.

“I didn’t know who Amir Khan was,” he said.

“He was taking pictures with fans. Hamza pointed at him and said, “It’s Amir Khan, the boxer.”

Mohamed said he then informed Bana of the sportsman’s presence in a phone call.

“I said, ‘Guess who’s with us at Sahara Grill? Amir Khan, the boxer.

“Ahmed said, ‘No way, what is he doing here?’ I said, ‘He’s probably breaking up fast’.

Mohamed said Bana arranged with him to come and meet the group to buy cannabis.

The robbery, which lasted only seconds, was captured on CCTV which was broadcast to the jury.

Khan, who was a unified welterweight world champion, said he looked down the barrel of the handgun when the thief pointed it at his face and said, “Take the watch off. .”

Campbell, from Hornsey, and Bana, from Tottenham, both in north London, have admitted conspiracy to commit robbery and possession of a fake firearm.

The trial continues.