A WOMAN yesterday told how a masked man walked into an restaurant and killed a waiter with a single shot, 14 years ago.
Emma Stamper – who was a 13-year-old schoolgirl at the time – described how she was enjoying a family meal when Shamsuddin Mahmood was shot dead.
Miss Stamper was giving evidence at the trial of Michael Ross, now 29, who denies murdering Mr Mahm
ood, on 2 June, 1994, in Orkney. Miss Stamper gave a statement to police a couple of hours after the incident.
In it, she described how she saw a man with "really big strides" going from the front door of the restaurant towards where the waiter was standing.
His face was covered with a balaclava with slits for the eyes and mouth. In her statement, she said: "I watched him all the time to see if I knew who he was. He went directly to the waiter – put his hands up above his head.
"I heard a bang – I thought it was a party popper. When the man walked out, he was very calm… he walked confidently out the door."
Miss Stamper also told police at the time that she saw a "little bit" of a "black chunky" gun as the man walked out. She added: "He had broad shoulders. He looked like a professional."
When asked by Brian McConnachie, QC, prosecuting, about her recollection of the statement, Miss Stamper said: "I know that I did not lie. I know that I wanted to help. I would have been telling the truth."
Earlier, Marion Flaws, 65, a waitress, told the court that a man with his face masked and a hood over his head entered the Mumutaz Indian Tandoori restaurant in Kirkwall.
She heard one shot and, seconds later, Mr Mahmood, 26, lay dying. The court was told that when the shot was fired, Mr Mahmood – known as Shamol – was serving a family of six, which included two children.
Miss Flaws told Mr McConnachie: "I was showing two people to a table when the door opened. I turned round and saw a man with a mask and a hood.
"I thought it was someone in to rob the restaurant. He walked right up the restaurant – I heard a shot. I was nearest the door and walked out. I thought he was going to shoot everyone, so I got out."
Miss Flaws also told the court that seconds after she fled, the gunman exited the restaurant. She walked down one down lane and he went down another. The court heard that Miss Flaws re-entered the restaurant through a side door used by staff.
She said that when she went back in, the people who had been at the table where Mr Mahmood was serving had moved and there was a lot of shouting and screaming.
She added: "Shamol was lying on the floor. He was bleeding from just above the eye. His glasses were lying on the floor – one lens was broken."
Donald Findlay, QC, defending, asked Miss Flaws:
"This individual comes straight in with a job to do and does it, however horrible the job may be; is that correct?"
Miss Flaws replied: "Yes."
Mr Findlay said: "This was a man in control at all times?"
Miss Flaws said: "As far as I could make out, yes."
Waiter Mohammed Uddin told the court that he was off sick that day and in his room above the restaurant. The first he knew of the shooting was when his brother ran upstairs crying and saying someone had been shot.
Mr Uddin said he found Shamol on the floor and there was a lot of blood.
The trial continues.
THE CHARGESMICHAEL Ross, 29, of Inverness, is accused of entering the Mumutaz Indian Tandoori restaurant in Bridge Street, Kirkwall, on 2 June, 1994, with his face masked and shooting 26-year-old Shamsuddin Mahmood in the head.
Ross, who was 15 at the time, is also accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by changing his clothing and disposing of the weapon.
He is further charged with committing a breach of the peace outside the Indian restaurant. The offence was allegedly committed between 3 and 24 May, 1994.
He denies all charges and has lodged a special defence of alibi, claiming he was nowhere near the Indian restaurant.
The full article contains 735 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
