Humza Yousaf's Brother-in-Law Faces Trial for Extortion and Drug Charges.
Ramsay El-Nakla, the brother-in-law of former first minister Humza Yousaf, is set to stand trial after pleading not guilty to charges of extortion and Class A drug offences. The 37-year-old is accused of threatening a man and extorting money through intimidation, alongside allegations related to the supply of cocaine in Dundee.
El-Nakla is one of four individuals charged in connection with a tragic incident that led to the death of 36-year-old Ryan Munro in January 2023. El-Nakla, along with co-accused Stephen Stewart (51), Jennifer Souter (39), and Victoria McGowan (42), faces charges under the same indictment, which includes the culpable homicide of Munro.
The case centres around the tragic events that unfolded on January 10, 2023, when Munro suffered serious injuries after falling from a block of flats in Dundee. He later passed away from his injuries a week later. Prosecutors claim that the accused, including El-Nakla, instilled fear and alarm in Munro, threatening violence and detaining him against his will. As a result, Munro allegedly tried to escape by jumping out of a window at the property.
While El-Nakla is not implicated in the murder of Ryan Munro, he is charged with involvement in the distribution of cocaine in Dundee, alongside Stewart and McGowan. All three, along with Stewart and Souter, face separate charges regarding the supply of heroin.
The legal representatives for El-Nakla entered a not guilty plea at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday, with the trial set to take place in Edinburgh in December. Stewart, Souter, and McGowan have also entered not guilty pleas, with Stewart and Souter submitting a special defence of incrimination.
The trial will continue to unfold in the coming months, with significant attention on the case due to the high-profile nature of some of the accused, including the family connection to Humza Yousaf. As the legal proceedings progress, the focus will remain on the serious charges, including extortion, drug distribution, and the tragic death of Ryan Munro.
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