Accused in murder case 'made threat'
A man accused of murdering a school friend who went to live abroad owing him £14,000 threatened he was going 'to sort him out', a court heard.
Jagdev Singh Rai is accused of murdering Jasbir Singh Bains in Dartmouth Park, West Bromwich, where his body was discovered floating in a lake on November 28, 2012.
Victim Mr Bains had moved to live with family in Canada years ago after falling on hard times and owed £14,000 to Rai at the time from a loan. Balwinder Singh, a cousin of Mr Bains, said he bumped into Rai in Joe's Bar, High Street, West Bromwich.
Mr Singh said Rai, aged 44, of Salisbury Road, West Bromwich, asked for Bains' address in Canada and said 'he was going to kill him when he saw him'.
Mr Singh told Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday, that this was around seven months before Mr Bains returned in 2010.
Mr Singh said: "Jagdev knew I was Jasbir's cousin. He was asking for his address in Canada. He was saying 'he owes money and he has run away. I need his address'. He said he wanted to contact him and he was going to sort him out. At the end of the discussion he said 'when I see him, I'm going to kill him'."
Mr Singh, who grew up in the same house as Mr Bains as children in Herbert Street, West Bromwich, also told the court Mr Bains, 41, returned to live in this country because he did not want his three children to grow up not knowing their father.
The court earlier heard Rai stood to gain more than £375,000 in the event of Mr Bains' death – £318,913 from a life insurance policy Rai took out by stealing Mr Bains' name and including himself as a beneficiary and a further £56,703 property in Wednesbury. Rai took out the mortgage for that property in Coronation Road in Mr Bains' name as well and ownership was due to transfer to Rai on Mr Bains' death.
Rai denies murder. The trial continues.
