A shop owner was shocked to hear his new Chatham business had been the scene of the alleged murder of a woman just weeks before.

Alam Emon said he had no idea of the store's recent past when he bought the Sani Globe Food shop in Luton Road.

Residents were surprised to see "opening soon" signs appear not long after the body of Harjit Chaggar was found in the basement 12 days after she was reported missing,

But Tesco worker Mr Emon, 35, did not know about the murder investigation when he entered into the deal.

The 69-year-old grandmother's body was found there after she went missing from the Luton Arches area of Chatham on Monday, September 2.

The store, which has been closed since the grim discovery, is now owned by Mr Emon - who has invested his life savings and taken out a loan to open up his own business.

The Londoner only found out about the death when he took hold of the keys and started an extensive refurbishment.

It will open with the new name of Chatham Food Centre and Cash and Carry.

Mr Emon hopes the work will be completed by the end of this month so he can open as a new business on December 1.

He said: "I only found out what had happened when I started talking to the community here."

But by then it was too late to pull out of the deal.

Mr Emon added: "I was initially very worried when I heard what had happened, it's very shocking. My condolences go out to her family.

"I even went to see the police to make sure it was OK to open a new business."

Mr Emon, who has a young family, has always worked in the retail business.

He will remain as a store manager for Tesco until his shop is ready to open.

He said: "I've put a lot of money into it. I wanted to try something different and try something on my own.

"We will be stocking food for a multi-cultural community, everything from African to Eastern-European and there will be speciality foods.

"I want the community in Luton to come in to the shop when it is reopened and see how friendly we are and what we’ve done here.

"It is a completely different business and a completely different owner. I want them to know that."

Officers from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate launched a murder investigation after Mrs Chaggar's body was found.

Three people who worked at the old store have been charged with her murder.

Mrs Chaggar lived in nearby Hillside Road. Police asked for help from members of the public who were spotted on CCTV in the area at the time she was last seen.

During their investigations, officers also enlisted the help of a vehicle expert to trace seven different motorists who were driving in the area at the time she disappeared.

The vehicles were captured on CCTV in Magpie Hall Road between 3.59pm and 4.02pm on the day she was last seen.

Police are still keen to trace the drivers of the vehicles and images of them can be seen here.

If you are the driver of one of the vehicles, phone DS Adam Marshall on 01634 884010.

The three men charged with Mrs Chaggar's murder are Abdul Hannan, 44, of Aldon Close, Maidstone; Murshed Miah, 38, of Wheeler Street, Maidstone; and Mohammad Islam, 28, of Windmill Road, Gillingham. They are expected to enter pleas on December 5.

A fourth man, who was bailed until earlier this week by police, has now been re-bailed until Friday, February 21, pending further investigations.

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