Jealous husband's lying 999 call after murdering spouse as her daughters slept upstairs before police found him calmly drinking tea at victim's home

• Mohammed Anhar Ali bought cables after his wife asked for a divorce last year
• He hid in a cupboard at her home, then jumped out and strangled her, court told
• Killer then made calm 999 call saying he'd strangled her 'by accident' with scarf
• But he is convicted of murder as victim's mother tells of her children's grief 

A jealous husband strangled his estranged wife as her children slept upstairs, then made himself a cup of tea while waiting for police.

Mohammed Anhar Ali bought cables to murder Nazia Begum at their former marital home in Bow, east London after she asked for a divorce in October last year.

In a chilling 999 call he made after the murder, Ali calmly told the operator he'd 'accidentally' killed his wife 'with a scarf'.

When police arrived he asked officers to be quiet because his daughter, and Ms Begum's daughter from a previous relationship, were sleeping upstairs.

Following his conviction for murder yesterday, Ms Begum's mother released a heartbreaking statement describing the impact the killing has had on the young girls.

CCTV showed killer Mohammed Anhar Ali buying cables before his strangled his wife Nazia Begum at their former marital home in Bow, east London

The victim's mother, Janahara Begum, said: 'The day Nazia died was the worst day of our lives. Our hearts are broken beyond repair; we will never be the same again. He took away, not just my child, but a mother, a sister, a niece, a granddaughter, a cousin and a friend.

'I have to listen to my grandchildren hold each other and cry for their mother every day. How do I explain to a three year old that her mother is dead? That my child is dead?

'I took Mohammed in as my son and instead he left my heart empty by taking away my child. Her daughters will never see their mother again, they will never feel their mother's comfort again and they will never feel their mother's love, ever again.

'Every day, when the children ask me when their mother will come back from heaven, my shattered heart breaks a little more.'

Ali, 32, married Ms Begum in May 2015, but their unhappy marriage ended in November 2017. Last year, she started seeing another man, called Ismail.

Ali hid in a cupboard at his estranged wife's home before attacking her in the evening

On October 21, Ali was heard telling Ms Begum he would agree to a divorce during a conversation at his mother-in-law's home.

He then went straight to a hardware store and knives and some cables before heading to 25-year-old Ms Begum's flat.

'He seems to have gotten hold of some keys and let himself in, likely when Nazia wasn't there, situated himself in a small cupboard in the hallway and waited,' said prosecutor Sarah Whitehouse QC.

'Nazia Begum did return to her flat from her mother's address and Mr Ali remained in that cupboard. It seems she had no idea he was there.'

Ms Begum sent her sister a video message later that evening in which she made no mention of seeing him, while he was 'simply sitting, waiting in that cupboard with the knives and the cables' for hours.

Ali phoned 999 just before 6am the following morning saying 'he needed the police and an ambulance because he had killed his wife'.

'He went on to say that he had done it because she had been having affairs and boyfriends and he didn't like it and he wanted to save his kids,' Ms Whitehouse said.

Police said officers were met at the door by Ali, who was drinking a cup of tea. He led the officers to the living room where Nazia's body was lying on the floor. 

The court heard Nazia was laying face-up on the floor of the lounge covered by a blanket. There were cables around her ankles and her legs and she was cold to the touch. Her nose was also fractured and bruised, as were her lips, chin and upper neck.

In his first interview following his arrest he repeated that he had killed Ms Begum, saying that 'she had many boyfriends and had told her he was concerned about her behaviour and the effect of it on their children'. He made no comment in a second interview.

Officers later found knives, cables and a receipt from the hardware store inside the hallway cupboard, jurors were told.

Ali, of Barking, denied but was convicted of murder. He showed no emotion in the dock as Judge Wendy Joseph, QC, warned he faces a life sentence with a minimum recommendation of 25 years. He will be sentenced on 17 April.