Man accused of robbing Amir Khan's £72k watch 'only went to restaurant to eat'
An accused robber charged with stealing a £72k watch from boxer Amir Khan whilst he dined with friends has told a court he was only at the restaurant to enjoy a meal.
Amir Khan, 36, was targeted for the diamond-encrusted Franck Muller Vanguard Chronograph as he went for a meal with wife Faryal, 31, and friend Omar Khalid at the Sahara Grill in Leyton, east London, last year.
But the evening ended when an armed robber ran at Khan, yelling at him to 'take off the watch'.
Ahmed Bana, Nurul Amin and Ismail Mohammed, all 25, - with the latter saying his friends had gone to the restaurant to break fast during Ramadan - deny conspiracy to commit robbery while jurors heard Dante Campbell, 21, has previously admitted conspiracy to commit robbery and possession of an imitation firearm.
CCTV footage played to jurors at Snaresbrook crown court shows Mr Khan and his wife dining at the restaurant before the robbery.
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Amin and Mohammed were said to be 'spotters' who sat at a table a few feet away from the couple and Mr Khalid in the eatery.
Mohammed then takes a phone call at one stage.
As the Khans left the restaurant, Amir stopped to greet some people outside.
CCTV shows the former light-welterweight world champion leaving the restaurant and the moment Campbell ran at him.
Campbell gets out of a Mercedes with an unknown male.
CCTV footage shows Khan being robbed outside the restaurant"You can see Campbell waving a gun at Mr Khan and his wife," said prosecutor Philip Evans, KC.
In the second day of the trial Mr Evans told the jury a balaclava and black sports gloves were found in Amin's bedroom.
He said it matched 'exactly' the clothing worn by one of the males seen on CCTV.
Bana and Amin were both arrested on June 22, 2022 while Mohammed was arrested on July 20.
During interview read in court Mohammed told police: "I went to Sahara Grill Restaurant with Nurul Amin and Hamza Kulane as it was Ramadan and they wanted to break fast.
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"Whilst in the restaurant we noticed people taking photographs with someone in the restaurant.
"I did not know who the man was but found out from the others that he was a pro boxer Amir Khan.
"Others had posted Snapchat stories of being in there with Amir Khan.
"When we finished eating we wanted to smoke a joint so went to Nurul's car to park up on a side road so that we could smoke. At this time I did not know anyone had been robbed.
"It is only later when I met with Ahmed that I found out what happened, but Ahmed told me he had nothing to do with the robbery.
"I did not have any involvement in a plan to rob. I did not agree anyone should be robbed and I certainly did not call Ahmed or anyone to come and rob any person."
Jurors were told Campbell, of Hornsey has admitted conspiracy to commit robbery and possession of an imitation firearm.
Bana, of Tottenham, Amin, of Cavendish Road, Finsbury Park, and Mohammed, of Edmonton, all deny conspiracy to commit robbery. Bana also denies having an imitation firearm.
The former boxer's watch was specially commissioned and has not been recovered.
Khan and Makhdoom married in New York in 2013 and have three children.
The trial continues.
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