23-9-2024 (LONDON) Three men have been handed lengthy prison sentences for a chilling rape that unfolded under the guise of a taxi service in Hull city centre. The incident, which occurred in July 2023, has sent shockwaves through the community and raised serious concerns about personal safety during nights out.
Habibullah Ahmadzai and Bakhtullah Safi, both 18, along with 26-year-old Kehan Safi, were convicted of raping a woman who mistakenly entered their vehicle, believing it to be a legitimate taxi. The victim’s ordeal began on Ferensway, a bustling area of Hull’s city centre, where CCTV footage captured her entering the impostor vehicle.
As the car drove away from the city centre, the situation took a sinister turn. The three men subjected their unsuspecting passenger to a horrific sexual assault during the journey. In a final act of callousness, after dropping off their traumatised victim, the perpetrators demanded a £20 “taxi fare”, which she rightfully refused to pay.
Justice was served at Hull Crown Court, where Ahmadzai, of Wellsted Street, and Bakhtullah Safi, of Margaret Street, were each sentenced to eight years in prison following their conviction in February. Kehan Safi, residing on Wellington Lane, received a nine-year sentence after entering a guilty plea at an earlier hearing.
Detective Constable Ashley Webster, speaking after the sentencing, did not mince words in his condemnation of the criminals. “These men are violent sexual predators who subjected a lone woman, who was simply trying to get home after a night out with friends, to an utterly horrific attack for their own sexual desires,” he stated.
DC Webster went on to commend the extraordinary bravery of the survivor throughout the investigation and court proceedings. “What she has been through is something no one should ever experience,” he emphasised, adding, “While today’s result will never erase the horrific experience and pain, I hope it goes some way in allowing her to heal as she continues to recover.”
