Tech entrepreneur found dismembered in New York died of multiple stab wounds
- Gokada founder Fahim Saleh, 33, was discovered in his luxury apartment with power saw plugged in nearby
- Security camera footage showed victim struggling with masked man in dark suit before his death
A technology entrepreneur found slain in his luxury New York apartment died of multiple stab wounds, the city’s medical examiner said on Thursday.
Police said earlier this week that the death of Fahim Saleh, 33, was a homicide but have given few other details. Local media reported that his body had been decapitated and dismembered, the parts placed into separate plastic garbage bags. A power saw was found plugged in nearby, along with cleaning supplies.
Security camera footage showed Saleh in the apartment building’s lift with a man in a dark suit, mask and gloves, the media reports said. Video showed the masked man following Saleh into the apartment, where a struggle began.
Police believe that a relative may have interrupted the intruder, who then fled via a back exit.
The New York Times, citing an unnamed law enforcement official, reported that investigators were trying to determine if Saleh’s grisly murder was related to his business.
There have not been any arrests in connection with his death.
Saleh, who was born in Saudi Arabia to Bangladeshi parents and grew up in New York, founded the Pathao ride company in 2015 and the Gokada motorcycle-hailing app in 2018.
Gokada was widely used in the Nigerian megacity of Lagos until state officials in February banned motorcycle taxis, known locally as “okada”, which dealt a serious blow to the company.
“Nigeria is an unforgiving market. Focus obsessively – less is more. Have integrity. Build trust. Be patient. The market will reward you in time,” Saleh had tweeted on July 2.
“We at Gokada are shocked and saddened to hear that Fahim Saleh, our founder and CEO, passed away under tragic circumstances in New York earlier this week,” the company said in a statement posted to social media on Wednesday.
Additional reporting by Associated Press
