Detectives are reinvestigating the brutal murder of a taxi driver in Nottingham, with the charity Crimestoppers offering £50,000 for information leading to a conviction.
Ethsham Ul-Haq Ghafoor, aged 26, of Sherwood Rise, known to his friends and family as Shami, was shot dead in his taxi on Tuesday, 22 November 1994. He was found by a milkman at 4:30 am at Lambley Lane Playing Fields in Gedling, with his hands tied and bound to the steering wheel. He had been shot in what has been described by police as “an execution.”
Already the father of a five-year-old son, Shami was killed just five months before his baby daughter was born. Now, on the 30th anniversary of his murder, a dedicated team of detectives has been reinvestigating the crime. They hope to provide his family with the answers they desperately need and ensure justice is finally served.
Shami had been working as a taxi driver in the city on the night he was killed and was well known among his colleagues. The last known sighting of Shami was at 2:40 am in Carlton Square, where he was seen with three Asian men in his black and white Ford Sierra. The location where his body was found was secluded, especially at night, and not a place usually used for taxi pick-ups or drop-offs. The weapon used to take his life has never been recovered.
However, due to major developments in forensic science, several items from the scene of the crime have been examined, providing detectives with new opportunities. A number of people were arrested at the time of Shami’s murder, but no one has ever been convicted of this horrific crime.
Detectives believe the answer to his murder lies within the community and are appealing for those with any information, no matter how small, to please come forward. Crimestoppers, a charity independent of the police, is supporting this investigation by offering a reward of up to £50,000 for information that they exclusively receive, leading to a conviction. The reward is available for three months and is due to expire on 22 February 2025. They are appealing to the public to contact them anonymously if they have any information.
Assistant Chief Constable Rob Griffin said:
“This was a dreadful murder of a young man, a soon-to-be dad, who was executed in his own taxi in a secluded area of Nottinghamshire.
“At the heart of this horrific crime is a family; a family that has waited 30 years for answers, 30 years for justice, 30 years for the closure they rightfully deserve.
“Shami’s mum never got that closure. She died never knowing why her eldest son’s life was taken so cruelly from her.
“Shami’s daughter was born without a dad, forced to live with other people’s anecdotes of him, never having any of her own.
“Shami’s brothers and sisters, who have shown immense bravery and are supporting our appeal, live with the pain and loss of their brother’s death every day.
“We stand beside them and want exactly the same – to ensure those who took his life are found and put behind bars. I would ask the community to do the same. To put themselves in Shami’s family’s shoes.
“Shami’s family can never move on with their lives without answers, and you could be sitting on the very answers they require.
“We know there will be people out there who know what happened, who have that information.
“We know that Shami was probably associating with some members of the criminal fraternity. I don’t think he was involved in organised crime, but I do think he got himself involved with people who were and probably found himself out of his depth. This is why I think he was killed.
“We know that loyalties change over the years, and this is exactly what we are relying on. We are hoping that people who felt they were not able to speak out all that time ago will feel differently now and feel able to come forward.
“Now is the time to act, to pick up the phone, anonymously if need be, and provide us with information.
“Crimestoppers is offering up to a £50,000 reward as an extra incentive. This is a huge reward for information that leads to a conviction. I would like to personally thank Crimestoppers for their help and for wanting to support us in ensuring justice is served.
“While a number of reviews of this terrible crime have been carried out over the last 30 years, unfortunately, his killer or killers have never been caught.
“We have been working closely with Shami’s family over the last 18 months, during which time I have personally met with them several times. I have explained to them why we have put together a new team of senior detectives, a fresh pair of eyes, to ensure that no stone is left unturned and that all new and existing avenues are explored.
“We are now calling on the community for their help and assistance to ensure that this crime does not go unsolved.”
Lydia Patsalides, East Midlands Regional Manager at the charity Crimestoppers, added:
“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.”
Anyone with information can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or call 101, quoting incident number 0300 of 15 November 2024.
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.
