Husband who put body in suitcase sentenced to life in prison

An “evil man” who strangled his wife for having an online affair and dumped her body in a river has been sentenced to life in prison.

Aminan Rahman, 46, from east London, attacked 24-year-old Suma Begum during a video call with her boyfriend last April, the Old Bailey previously heard.

The court was told how Rahman put her into a suitcase after choking her, at which point she might still have been alive.

Mr Justice Bennathan set a minimum of 22 years before Rahman can apply for release on licence at the Old Bailey on Tuesday.

He had pleaded guilty before his trial started to a charge of preventing the lawful and decent burial of Ms Begum’s body.

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Bennathan said Ms Begum was a “lively, attractive young woman and devoted mother” who had dreamed of a new life with a man her own age.

After strangling his wife, Rahman had within minutes folded her body into a suitcase and thrown it into the Thames basin, “hoping it would never be found”, the judge said.

Rahman then spun a “web of lies”, saying Ms Begum had left of her own accord, Mr Justice Bennathan said.

The trial heard that Rahman was filmed attacking his wife during a video call with her online boyfriend, which was recorded on the recipient’s mobile phone.