{"id":2121,"date":"2026-05-14T15:06:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T15:06:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/imam-who-raped-children-and-claimed-he-had-supernatural-powers-jailed-for-life\/"},"modified":"2026-05-14T15:06:18","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T15:06:18","slug":"imam-who-raped-children-and-claimed-he-had-supernatural-powers-jailed-for-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/imam-who-raped-children-and-claimed-he-had-supernatural-powers-jailed-for-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Imam who raped children and claimed he had supernatural powers jailed for life"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_184259\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Abdul Halim Khan, 54, abused his position as a respected imam to sexually assault women and girls between 2005 and 2014, telling them he had supernatural powers<\/h2>\n<div class=\"Byline_byline-container__K_Owl\" data-testid=\"byline\"><span class=\"Byline_byline-content-wrapper__Imque\" data-testid=\"byline-content\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"Byline_author-badge-date-wrapper__Q7jj1\">\n<p><span class=\"\" data-testid=\"byline-publishedDate\"><\/span><span class=\"ArticleTimestamp_updated-date__7qD4Q ArticleTimestamp_updated-date-with-published__iFKpF\" data-testid=\"byline-updatedDate\">Updated <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37156838\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Abdul Halim Khan\" loading=\"eager\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2_Abdul-Halim-Khan-court-case.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Abdul Halim Khan\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Abdul Halim Khan<cite aria-label=\"Image: Metropolitan Police\/PA Wire\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Metropolitan Police\/PA Wire)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">An imam who claimed he had supernatural powers to prey on vulnerable women and girls as young as 12 has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Abdul Halim Khan, 54, abused his position as a trusted faith leader to sexually assault seven women and girls from the Muslim community between 2005 and 2014, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Prosecutors said Khan was an imam at a mosque who persuaded each of the victims into meeting him at isolated places including flats and quiet, hidden locations. He would then <!-- -->rape or sexually abuse the victims while claiming he was possessed or disguised as a jinn (supernatural spirit), the court heard.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The victims felt forced to keep the abuse a secret from family and friends over fears they would be harmed through &#8220;black magic&#8221;, prosecutors said.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37156213\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37156213\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.52\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Snaresbrook Crown Court GV\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_Crown-court-stock.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Khan was jailed at Snaresbrook Crown Court\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Khan was jailed at Snaresbrook Crown Court<cite aria-label=\"Image: PA\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: PA)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Judge Leslie Cuthbert, sentencing, said: &#8220;Behind a public appearance of propriety and holiness you took monstrous advantage of women who trusted you, all for your own sexual satisfaction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;You brazenly raped and sexually assaulted seven females &#8211; both children and young women. You behaved as if you were untouchable.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;You were confident that none of the victims, who came from the same community in which you were an imam, would overcome the potential shame and stigma they might sadly feel, or be exposed to, by reporting you.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;You were confident that if they did come forward it would be you and not they who would be believed.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Khan, an Indian national, was first brought to the attention of detectives in February 2018 when the youngest victim reported him to a teacher at her school, Scotland Yard said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">In police interviews, he repeatedly denied the allegations, claiming it was a conspiracy and the victims had concocted a story for revenge, the force added. The court heard that the defendant maintains his innocence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He was found guilty in February of nine counts of rape; four counts of sexual assault; two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13; five counts of rape of a child under 13 and one count of assault by penetration.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">This is<\/strong><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"> a Breaking News story. 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