Who is Ibrahim Ghazal? Man Accused of Killing Beauty Queen Wife Zeina Kanjo Enters UK Illegally

Ibrahim Ghazal, a 36-year-old Lebanese national, is accused of murdering his wife, Zeina Kanjo, in Beirut in 2021. Ghazal allegedly suffocated Zeina, a former beauty queen, just four months after their marriage. He then fled Lebanon and spent years moving across Europe before illegally entering the United Kingdom this year.

Who was Zeina Kanjo?

Zeina Kanjo was a 33-year-old model and beauty pageant titleholder, crowned Miss Elegant Lebanon 2020. She had represented Lebanon in an international beauty contest in Egypt the year before her death. Reports suggest she had filed domestic violence and fraud complaints against Ghazal and was trying to divorce him.

Her murder in January 2021 triggered a national outcry in Lebanon about domestic abuse and women’s rights.

The Murder and Flight from Lebanon

Shortly after Zeina’s death, Ghazal allegedly fled to Turkey. Lebanese news channel Al Jadeed released an audio recording, allegedly of Ghazal, in which he confesses: “I didn’t want to, I didn’t want her to die. When she was screaming, I just put my hand on her mouth.”

He then reportedly traveled through Greece, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and eventually reached Sweden, where he was arrested in December 2022 on an Interpol Red Notice. However, Sweden refused to extradite him due to human rights concerns, as Ghazal claimed he could face the death penalty in Lebanon.

Germany also blocked his extradition for the same reason when he was detained there later. Notably, Lebanon has not carried out an execution since 1994, a fact emphasized by the Kanjo family’s lawyer, Ashraf Al-Moussawi, who has criticized the legal loopholes.

Illegal Entry into the UK

In 2025, Ghazal arrived in the UK illegally via a small boat from France, alongside other migrants. He was caught by UK Border Force and jailed for nine months by Gloucester Crown Court for entering the country without valid documents.

Now, British authorities are facing pressure from the victim’s family and lawyer to ensure justice is served and to prevent Ghazal from exploiting the legal system again to avoid trial.

The Family’s Plea

Zeina’s father, Mohammed Kanjo, is deeply worried that justice for his daughter may never be achieved. He claims Ghazal had even returned secretly to Lebanon once to attend a relative’s wedding after the murder.

“It’s like something is missing from your body,” Mohammed said in a heartbreaking statement.

“I hope he is not handed back only to be imprisoned and released again. Maybe the UK can find a way to properly punish him.”

What Happens Now?

As Ghazal’s jail term in the UK nears its end, there is growing concern about what comes next. The British Home Office has not confirmed whether they’ve received an extradition request from Lebanon.

A government spokesperson said: “We will always do everything in our power to remove serious foreign criminals from the UK so they are not left free on our streets after completing their sentence.”