The charity Crimestoppers is offering a reward of up to £50,000 to support a re-investigation into the brutal murder of a taxi driver 30 years ago in Nottingham.
Ethsham Ghafoor, from Sherwood Rise, known to his friends as ‘Shami’, was shot dead while he sat in his taxi on Tuesday, 22 November 1994. He was 26 years old.
Crimestoppers is offering the maximum reward amount of £20,000 from their charity funds, and an anonymous donor has added £30,000 to make a total of £50,000.
Shami was found at 4:30 am by a milkman at Lambley Lane Playing Fields in Gedling, with his hands bound to his car’s steering wheel. It was a secluded location not normally used for taxi pick-ups or drop-offs.
The charity Crimestoppers, which is independent of the police, is supporting this investigation by offering a combined reward of up to £50,000 for information they exclusively receive that leads to the conviction of anyone involved in the killing of Ethsham ‘Shami’ Ghafoor. The reward is available for three months and is due to expire on 22 February 2025.
The last known sighting of Shami alive was just after 2:00 am in Carlton Square, where he had been working. Three Asian men were seen in the back of his black-and-white Ford Sierra.
The weapon used to kill him has never been recovered. With developments in forensic science, a few items at the scene where he was found have been re-examined, leading to new opportunities for investigators to explore.
Shami’s wife gave birth to their first daughter five months later, whom he sadly never got to meet.
Nobody has ever been convicted for Shami’s murder.
Lydia Patsalides, East Midlands Regional Manager at the charity Crimestoppers, said:
“This is a shocking and very sad case. Shami’s whole family have waited 30 years for justice and answers, which they truly deserve.
“We know it can be difficult for some people to speak directly to the police, which is why our charity is here for you. We are hoping that, with the passage of time, it will be easier to share what you know. We’ve been passing on information about crime whilst guaranteeing anonymity since we were established decades ago. It’s a promise we’ve always kept.”
“Crimestoppers is completely independent of the police. You can make a difference by passing on what you know whilst being protected by our guarantee of anonymity. That means no police, no courts, no witness statements. Put simply, when you contact our charity online or on the phone, there’s no comeback.
“We are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. We cannot trace your call or track your IP address. No one will ever know you contacted us. You may think your information is insignificant; however, it could make all the difference, and you could be eligible for this £50,000 reward.”
Note: Information passed directly to the police will not qualify for a reward.
Anonymity: Crimestoppers guarantees complete anonymity, meaning that people who call or contact them online can pass on what they know without ever giving any personal details. Computer IP addresses are never traced. Telephone calls are never recorded, there is no caller line display, and no 1471 facility.
Claiming a reward: The reward will only be payable for information passed directly to Crimestoppers and not to the police. A reward code must be asked for when calling the charity on 0800 555 111. If you contact Crimestoppers via the online form anonymously, the ‘keeping in contact’ facility must be used, and a reward code must be requested on your initial contact with the charity.
More details about the rewards process – at the heart of which is ensuring you stay 100% anonymous – can be found on the Crimestoppers website.
