The story of Mahek Bukhari, a social media influencer with a substantial TikTok following, has taken a new turn. Originally sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 31 years for a double murder, Bukhari has successfully appealed her punishment. A judge has ruled that the initial sentence was “manifestly excessive,” leading to a significant reduction in her jail time. This decision comes after a tragic and violent incident that resulted in the deaths of two young men, a case that has captivated public attention due to Bukhari’s online fame and the brutal nature of the crime.
The events that led to the convictions began with a personal conflict involving Bukhari’s mother, Ansreen. She had been in a relationship with one of the victims, Saqib Hussain, who allegedly threatened to release explicit material unless she repaid him £3,000. This dispute set the stage for a fatal confrontation. In February 2022, Hussain and his friend, Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin, both 21, were led to believe they were meeting for a final discussion and to collect the money in a supermarket parking lot. Instead, they walked into an ambush.
What followed was a terrifying high-speed chase. The two men were pursued by vehicles carrying Bukhari, her mother, and their accomplices. Moments before his death, Hussain made a desperate call to emergency services, frantically telling the operator that they were being rammed off the road by people in balaclavas and that he feared for his life. His final words, “Oh my God,” were heard just before the line went dead following a catastrophic crash. Investigators later confirmed the pursuing vehicles had been traveling at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour.
At the appeal hearing, Bukhari’s legal team argued that her original sentence was “wholly disproportionate.” They pointed to her young age of 22 at the time of the offense and a noted “lack of maturity” as factors that should have warranted a lesser punishment. The court agreed with this assessment, stating that the initial judge had failed to make enough allowance for her youth. Lord Justice Warby ruled that her age should have exerted a “substantial downward pressure” on her term, leading to the reduction of her minimum sentence to 26 years and 285 days.
While Mahek Bukhari’s sentence was reduced, her mother’s life sentence with a minimum of 26 years remains unchanged. Several other co-defendants also saw their sentences reduced by two years. The appeal judges acknowledged the high risk of death in the car chase was obvious to all involved. However, they concluded that for some, including Bukhari, their minor roles and personal circumstances warranted a less severe punishment. The case serves as a stark reminder of how quickly a situation can escalate into tragedy and how the legal system continually reassesses the balance between crime and punishment.
