Charity Offers £50,000 Reward in Cold Case Murder Investigation
A charity has stepped forward to offer a £50,000 reward for information that could help solve the 1994 murder of taxi driver Ethsham Ul-Haq Ghafoor, known as Shami. The victim, aged 26 at the time, was tragically killed in his taxi in Nottinghamshire in what investigators described as “an execution”.
The incident took place on Tuesday, November 22, 1994, when Mr Ghafoor’s body was discovered by a milkman at Lambley Lane Playing Fields in Gedling. His hands were found tied and bound to the steering wheel. Mr Ghafoor, who was already a father to a five-year-old son, was just five months away from welcoming his daughter into the world.
Assistant Chief Constable Rob Griffin expressed the gravity of the situation, stating, “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.” He acknowledged the pain endured by Mr Ghafoor’s family for the past 30 years and emphasised the importance of bringing the perpetrators to justice.
In an effort to reignite the investigation, the charity Crimestoppers has generously offered the substantial reward. Detective Griffin urged the community to come forward with any new information, highlighting that allegiances may have shifted over the years, creating potential for breakthroughs in the case.
Despite the passage of time, detectives have not given up on solving the crime. The last known sighting of the victim was reported at 2:40am in Carlton Square, where he was seen with three Asian men in his black and white Ford Sierra. While the murder weapon remains unrecovered, new leads have emerged from items analysed at the crime scene.
Lydia Patsalides, the East Midlands regional manager at Crimestoppers, empathised with Mr Ghafoor’s family, underscoring their enduring wait for justice. She reassured potential informants of the charity’s support and confidentiality in aiding the investigation.
The call for information has been met with anticipation, as authorities believe that the passage of time may encourage previously hesitant individuals to come forward. The support from Crimestoppers is a significant boost to the reinvestigation, offering hope for closure for the victim’s family and accountability for the perpetrators.
As the community reflects on this cold case, the quest for justice remains steadfast. The collaboration between law enforcement, the charity sector, and the public underscores a unified commitment to resolving this longstanding mystery. With the substantial reward now in place, the plea for information signals a renewed opportunity for progress in the pursuit of truth and closure.