A faith healer who operated in Bradford was bound and then stabbed to death because a client wanted her money back, a court heard yesterday.

Alfusaine Jabbi, 22, asked his customers to pay him hundreds of pounds in cash, which he demanded should be wrapped in women's knickers or children's clothes, Luton Crown Court heard.

But Gambian-born Mr Jabbi was allegedly murdered after he was lured to the Luton home of Rubina Maroof, a customer who said she wanted her money back.

Maroof, her husband Muhammed and their six-year-old son fled to Pakistan the day after the alleged murder took place on April 28, 2006. The court heard they are still on the run.

Her brother, Tariq Malik, 28, and half-brother, Khalid Malik, 29, both of Selbourne Road, Luton, deny murdering Mr Jabbi. Khalid Malik's friend, Imran Khan, 27, of Rondini Avenue, Luton, also went on trial charged with Mr Jabbi's murder.

Frances Oldham QC, prosecuting, said: "Mr Jabbi had been bound and stabbed to death. Ligature marks on his wrists indicated that he had been bound for some time."

Describing Mr Jabbi's business as a faith healer, she said: "It's apparent that Mr Jabbi had set up his business as a faith healer in parts of the country where there were significant Muslim communities. They include London, Luton and Bradford.

"He was brought up in Gambia and when he came to the UK he would send money home regularly to his family by money transfer using Western Union.

"He began advertising his services with a business card that claimed he could break magical spells and ward off evil spirits and that he could help people who had problems of whatever nature."

Mrs Oldham said Mr Jabbi said on one business card - under the alias name of Mr Wahabu - that he could deal with problems ranging from sexual impotence to unwanted hair growth.

The card read: "Mr Wahabu is guaranteed in breaking black magic and evil spells in 48 hours."

Mrs Oldham said of one customer: "He said that he needed £800 to solve her problems by arranging the sacrificing of a camel, not in the UK, but in the Gambia."

In January 2006, Rubina Maroof was introduced to Mr Jabbi through a friend and reportedly paid him a large amount of money. When she tried to ask for the money back in April 2006, she discovered that he had left Luton to live in Bradford, the court heard.

The jury was told Maroof asked her friend Rubina Shah to contact Mr Jabbi and arrange for a spiritual healing session. Shah allegedly invited Mr Jabbi to Maroof's house on Pembroke Avenue, Luton, claiming that she wanted to pay him for his services.

The court heard that Mr Jabbi was last seen alive when he left the taxi to go into the house on April 28. His body was found the next morning in Leagrave Park, off Sundon Park Road, Luton.

The court heard that Mr Jabbi had been stabbed, causing a wound which had caused severe internal bleeding. He had also suffered severe abrasions to the back of his thighs and to his shins.

Mrs Oldham told the jury that the injuries to his body were consistent with somebody trying to cause pain. Salt had also been rubbed into his wounds to add to the pain.

Tariq Malik denies murder, conspiracy to unlawfully imprison and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. He admits a second charge of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

His brother, Khalid Malik, denies one charge of murder, conspiracy to unlawfully imprison and two charges of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Khalid Malik's friend, Imran Khan, denies one charge of murder, conspiracy to unlawfully imprison and two charges of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Rubina Maroof's friend, Rubina Shah, denies one charge of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm and one charge of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Guhar Mirza, Tariq Malik's wife, denies one charge of perverting the course of justice.

The court heard that on the night of April 26, 2006, four men arrived at the house in Dunstable Road where Mr Jabbi was staying with a friend named in court as Boubarama.

They wanted to know if he was related to Mr Jabbi, the court heard. They placed the phone to his ear.

Mrs Oldham said: "He heard him groan down the telephone as if he was being hit."

She added that Mr Jabbi was hit on the back of the legs with a roll of industrial foil.

Turning to the jury, she added: "You can see the size of the foil and you will be able to feel its weight. It's not inflexible and it's not to be confused with domestic foil."

The case continues.