Eight people appear in court as part of murder investigation
Police teams continue to dig at a house in Leicester in connection with the disappearance of Gary Piatek
Two men accused of murdering a retired 60-year-old man who vanished nearly two years ago have appeared in court as police teams continue to dig at a house in Leicester.
Police launched a major search operation at a property in Broad Avenue, Evington, as part of inquiries into the disappearance of Gary Piatek, including demolishing its extension.
Leicester Magistrates' Court heard that the last day Mr Piatek is believed to have been alive was April 18 2024 when he visited a pub.
The hearing was told that Mr Piatek lived in a property in Broad Avenue which he inherited from his parents.
A total of eight people were charged with offences after a number of warrants were carried out at addresses in Evington on Tuesday.
Yosif Ibrahim, 43, of Broad Avenue, Leicester, and Omed Firuzman, 25, of Ashley Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, charged with the murder of Mr Piatek between April 17 and 20 2024, appeared side by side in the dock on Friday.
They spoke only to confirm their names, dates of birth and addresses before they were remanded in custody and told to appear at Leicester Crown Court on Monday.
Diar Muhammedy, 34, of Falmouth Road, Leicester, and Mabast Khalid, 21, of Manway Close, Birmingham, who are charged with assisting an offender between April 17 and 25 2024, are alleged to have "washed items including blankets and pillows", the court heard.
They were also remanded in custody and told to appear at the crown court on Monday.
Dilan Rabati, 34, and Ahmed Nabla, 34, both of Broad Avenue, Leicester, denied acquiring, using or having possession of criminal property, namely a house in Broad Avenue belonging to Mr Piatek, between June 1 2024 and February 10 2026.
Dalya Rabati, 29, of Frazer Nash Close, Isleworth, London, pleaded not guilty to the same charge, relating to the property in Broad Avenue and money belonging to Mr Piatek, as well as fraud on January 29 2025 in which she is alleged to have created a false tenancy agreement for Mr Piatek's house.
Nazem Kakamando, 50, of Gordon Road, Birmingham, denied acquiring, using or having possession of criminal property, which the court heard was a sum of more than £140,000 in cash, on February 10 2026 and fraud, having allegedly made a false tenancy agreement on January 29 2025.
Dilan Rabati, Dalya Rabati and Nabla were remanded in custody while Kakamando was granted conditional bail by the magistrates.
A 61-year-old, from Leicester, arrested on suspicion of murder, has been released on police bail while inquiries continue.
Police said investigative work will continue at the house in Broad Avenue for a number of weeks, including teams with specialist search equipment.