A man found guilty of murdering two vulnerable women and stuffing their bodies into a freezer has been jailed.
Zahid Younis, 36, known as Boxer, was convicted of killing Hungarian national Henriett Szucs and mother-of-three Mihrican “Jan” Mustafa.
He was given a life sentence – with a minimum term of 38 years – at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday.
Szucs, 34, had last been seen in August 2016 and 38-year-old Mustafa in May 2018.
Their bodies were found in Younis’s flat in Vandome Close, Canning Town, east London, in April 2019. Police had been sent there to investigate after Younis was reported missing.
Officers forced open a padlocked freezer, which was in a cupboard, surrounded by flies and with items stacked on top of it.
The jury at Southwark Crown Court took 16 hours to deliberate before reaching a verdict.
Younis showed no emotion as the verdicts were read out while members of Mustafa’s large family, who attended every day of the three-week trial, said “yes” in the public gallery.
Her older sister, Mel Mustafa, said: “Thank you, God, thank you.”
The jury at Southwark Crown Court in London had heard how the women were subjected to “very significant violence” before their deaths and had fracture injuries associated with kicking or stamping.
Younis had already admitted to putting the women in his freezer, but denied double murder. He has previously pleaded guilty to preventing the lawful and decent burial of both women.