Man charged with murder after Fahim Saleh found decapitated
WARNING - DISTRESSING CONTENT: The personal assistant of a tech entrepreneur has been arrested and accused of decapitating him.
Nigerian ride-sharing app Gokada’s founder Fahim Saleh, 33, was found dismembered and decapitated in his luxury Manhattan apartment, New York news media reported.
On Friday (local time), his personal assistant, identified as 21-year-old Tyrese Devon Haspil, was arrested.
Haspil has been charged with second-degree murder, New York City Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison said at a news conference.
“Mr Haspil was Mr Saleh’s executive assistant and handled his finances and personal matters. It is also believed he owed the victim a significant amount of money,” Mr Harrison said.
He added Mr Saleh was assaulted by Haspil with what appears to be a Taser while exiting an elevator into his apartment.
Mr Saleh’s body had been decapitated and dismembered, with body parts placed into separate plastic garbage bags. A power saw and cleaning supplies were found plugged in nearby.
Police sources told NY Daily News Mr Saleh discovered Haspil had embezzled more than AU$130,000 and instead of calling the police he offered the 21-year-old the chance to pay it back.
Security camera video showed Mr Saleh in his apartment building’s elevator with a man in a dark suit, mask and gloves, the media reports said.
Video footage showed the suspect following Mr Saleh into the seventh-story apartment, where a struggle began.
Mr Saleh, who was born in Saudi Arabia to Bangladeshi parents and grew up in New York, founded the Pathao ride company in 2015 and in 2018 the Gokada motorbike hailing app.
Gokada was widely used in the Nigerian megacity of Lagos until state officials in February banned motorcycle taxis, known locally as "okada", dealing a serious blow to the company.
with Reuters
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