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'Honour killing' trial told teenager murdered over £5,000 dowry
Paul Cheston, Courts Correspondent22 Oct 2009
The mother who says her daughter was murdered by her husband in an "honour killing" today told the Old Bailey the teenager would be alive if a £5,000 dowry had been paid.
Hanim Goren said she had asked her 15-year-old daughter Tulay's boyfriend Halil Unal to pay the money.
Her husband Mehmet spent all his time gambling and would have been considered his honour satisfied, the court heard.
"If Halil had given Mehmet £5,000 he would not have killed Tulay and I'm as sure of that as I am of my name," said Mrs Goren, speaking through a Turkish interpreter.
Tulay disappeared in January 1999 from the family home in Woodford Green after a long running row over her boyfriend.
Mehmet Goren, and his brothers Ali and Cuma, are accused of killing her because the schoolgirl's relationship had allegedly brought shame on the family.
While Halil was twice the teenager's age her family were more angered that he came from a different Muslim sect in Kurdish Turkey and had not gone about the correct cultural customs, the court has heard.
Mehmet Goren and his brothers were arrested in 1999 but no charges were brought because of a lack of evidence.
The case was reopened after nearly 10 years and the three brothers were charged with murder after Mrs Goren agreed to give evidence for the prosecution.
In her fourth day in the witness box Mrs Gorem was cross examind by Michael Turner QC, representing her husband.
She told the court she had misled the original police investigation because she had been pressurised by Mehmet.
"I had no choice but to do what Mehmet said," she said. "I was afraid of him and did whatever he told me to do."
She admitted she had lied to the poice by previously denying she had told Halil to pay £5,000 to her husband.
But she insisted she never told Halil to pay her the money and not tell Mehmet about it. She said she would have given the money to her husband.
"You said Mehmet would be satisfied with the money because he was a gambler," asked Mr Turner.
"It's true. All he ever did was gamble," she replied. "Only I know how much I suffered at the hands of Mehmet."
Mehmet Goren, of Woodford Green,Cuma Goren, of Walthamstow; and Ali Goren, of Walthamstow, deny the murder of Tulay.
They further deny a conspiracy to murder Halil Unal - now 41 - between May 1998 and February 1999.
The case continues.
