A POLICE officer who interviewed a key witness ahead of the murder trial of Fiaz Munshi has been accused of asking “improper” questions.

Yesterday Detective Constable Christopher Mavers was cross-examined in Oxford Crown Court in connection with prosecution witness Sunder Khutan.

He gave evidence about Munshi’s involvement in an arson attack which killed Majid Khan, 15, and his eight-year-old sister Anum in their Magdalen Road home in 1997. Mr Khutan has been described as the prosecution’s “star witness” and alleges the defendant was a “puppet master” who manipulated others into setting the fire.

He also gave evidence during trials in 1998 and 1999, in which five men were handed life sentences in connection with the fire and one woman was jailed for manslaughter. But Stephen Kamlish, defending Munshi, 38, of Manley Road in Oldham, suggested mistakes were made when questioning the “flaky” Mr Khutan last year.

He suggested to DC Mavers that by asking the witness – who has been sectioned and suffers from bipolar disorder – if he had “more” information he was asking an improper question.

DC Mavers said: “I did not think he was suggestible. We were specific and to the point about why we were there.”

Munshi denies murder.

The trial continues.

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