“I Kill Her”: Ex-Wife’s Alleged Confession Could Free British Arab Pilot

A British Arab pilot serving a 20-year sentence in Kazakhstan for the murder of his infant daughter could see his conviction overturned after the emergence of recordings in which his ex-wife allegedly admits responsibility for the child’s death.

Mohamed Barakat, 46, a British Arab commercial pilot who previously flew for a subsidiary of Hong Kong Airlines, was convicted in Kazakhstan in 2020 over the death of his one-year-old daughter, Sophia, at the InterContinental Hotel in Almaty on 24 October 2019.

According to court rulings at the time, Barakat was accused of beating his wife, Madina Abdullayeva, during a drunken and drug-fuelled episode before fatally injuring his daughter by smashing her head against a wall. He was sentenced to the maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment.

Barakat has consistently maintained his innocence.

Emergence of New Evidence

According to The Sun (23 July 2025), recordings have surfaced in which Barakat’s ex-wife, 28-year-old Madina Abdullayeva, appears to confess to causing Sophia’s death. The audio was reportedly obtained by Barakat himself from inside prison.

The Daily Mirror (18 June 2025) reported that the Kazakh Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into “newly discovered circumstances,” including Abdullayeva’s alleged confession. Police Lt-Col R. Kurbanov confirmed that voice samples have been taken from Abdullayeva, and a forensic “video-phonoscopy examination” is under way to authenticate the recordings.

Kazakh outlet Fresh News KZ (11 August 2025) also confirmed that Barakat’s defence team submitted these recordings to investigators, who are conducting expert analysis to determine their authenticity.

Content of the Alleged Confession

In one of the recordings, Abdullayeva is heard describing how the fatal incident occurred while she was tending to her daughter:

“And I left. And then when I come back, she is awake and crying because she’s hungry. I start to feed her and then she start to poo and I try to wash her bum and when I wash her, I break her neck.”

You can listen to the full confession here:

In other exchanges, she appears to plead for forgiveness, repeatedly apologising to her ex-husband:

“I’m sorry, I know I’m drunk, but I just want to tell you I’m so, so sorry that I ever upset you in my life… Please, just forgive me, please. I’m not going to forgive myself… I will never upset you in my life. Never.”

You can listen to the second recording here:

According to The Sun, Barakat confronted her, saying he would never have another child with her until she told him the truth about what happened to Sophia. In response, Abdullayeva allegedly wrote: “I kill her.”

Contradictions in the Trial

At the original trial, Abdullayeva was the main prosecution witness. CCTV from the night of the tragedy shows her carrying Sophia to the hotel lobby, shouting that her husband had killed their child. Hotel staff testified that the baby appeared lifeless and “blue.”

However, Barakat’s defence argues there were major inconsistencies in the case. His lawyer, Din-Mukhamed Narymbetov, told The Sun that no alcohol or drugs were found in Barakat’s blood or urine, despite the court ruling that he had committed the crime under intoxication. CCTV footage also showed him walking steadily while holding balloons for his daughter.

The Daily Mirror added that under Kazakh law, because Sophia was a British citizen, her autopsy should have been conducted by three experts rather than just one, raising further questions about procedural irregularities.

Legal Steps Ahead

The Kazakh Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that new investigative steps are under way, including forensic verification of the recordings and questioning of Abdullayeva. Fresh News KZ reported that the General Prosecutor’s Office has promised to notify both sides once examinations are complete.

Barakat, who has spent nearly five years behind bars, insists: “Madina knows I am innocent. My family knows I’m innocent. The lawyers who stood with me – they know I’m innocent.” 

When approached for comment by The Sun, Abdullayeva said: “I am not going to answer these questions.”

The case remains under review and could lead either to a retrial or a possible release, depending on the outcome of the ongoing forensic examinations.