'Net closing' on killers who tied up and shot Nottingham taxi driver after 30 year wait for justice

A leading Nottinghamshire Police boss has revealed the force is starting to close in on the killers who executed a Nottingham taxi driver 30 years ago - and has appealed for help to unmask and punish them. Ethsham Ul-Haq Ghafoor, who was known as Shami, was shot dead in his taxi at Lambley Lane Playing Fields in Gedling on Tuesday, November 22, 1994.

The killers of the 26-year-old dad from Sherwood Rise, who had tied him to his steering wheel before shooting him, have never been found. However, on the 30th anniversary of his murder, Nottinghamshire Police announced it was re-investigating the case.

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Griffin, speaking at a press conference on Friday, November 22 in Nottingham city centre, said he felt that justice could finally be served with the help of advancements in forensic science, witness protection, and assistance from the public. "There are still a number of viable lines of inquiry, despite the passage of time and as a result of that I set up a new team and investigation.

"I am absolutely certain that there are people out there that have information about this murder that have not to date shared it with the police. I understand that people may have felt unable to speak all these years ago."

No arrests have been made yet as part of new investigation, but the senior officer added: "I feel that the net is starting to close and we are focusing on a particular area, but at this stage we really need that extra help from the public. There are many people that we are intending to speak to over the coming days."

The newly formed investigation team will swell to more than 30 detectives in the coming days, with officers revisiting witnesses and reviewing CCTV and other evidence from 1994 onwards. Mr Griffin said: "We have fully exploited developments in forensic science and we are also now much more sophisticated in how to support and protect witnesses - if you were frightened to come forward before now things have changed.

"Please just come forward and trust us." Police explained they had again examined two letters and a card, which were sent in 1995 and claimed to have information about the murder, but found they were not valuable to the new probe.

Those arrested by the force shortly after the murder had been ruled out as suspects, Mr Griffin said. "We know that Shami was associated with some members of the local criminal fraternity, but I do not think that Shami was involved in organised crime.

"I do think that he found himself out of his depth and I think that's why he was killed." The last known sighting of Mr Ghafoor was just after 2am in Carlton Square where he was seen with three Asian men in his black and white Ford Sierra.

Mr Griffin urged these men or people who knew them to come forward, as well as taxi drivers who might have any useful information. He told reporters at the recent press conference that he believed the nature of the crime meant it was likely more than one person had been involved.

Aisha Ghafoor, sister of Ethsham, said the loss of her brother had been heartbreaking for his parents and siblings, but also for his children and grandchildren - most of whom never met him. "Shami was a family man pure and simple, a rock to his four brothers and sisters," Ms Ghafoor said.

"He was a big cricket, football and snooker fan, he even helped dad build a snooker table in the attic which became a focal point for family gatherings. He managed the family taxi business and always had high aspirations, and had everything to live for. He was outgoing, kind, protective and the life and soul of every celebration."

He had been the father of a five-year-old boy and "could not wait" for his daughter to be born - but he never got to meet her or his six grandchildren, his sister explained. "Someone decided to kill him in the most horrendous way imaginable, when they killed Shami that day they killed any chance of us being a happy family again."

"Our mother never recovered from his loss, she did not get to find out who or why Shami was killed and sadly she never will. She died at the age of 85 and even in the last weeks of her life she would say 'I'm not going to find out who killed my Shami'."

Appealing for people to come forward, she added: "Silence is not an option, it never was, and will never be. Someone out there knows who murdered our brother or why he was killed."

Crimestoppers, a charity which is independent of the police, is supporting the force's investigation and on Friday announced there would be a £50,000 reward for any information that leads to the conviction of Mr Ghafoor. Lydia Patsalides, East Midlands manager of Crimestoppers, said concerned possible witnesses could pass on what they knew through the charity "whilst being protected by our guarantee of anonymity."

"That means no police, no courts, no witness statements," Ms Patsalides added. The reward is available for three months and is due to expire on February 22, with £30,000 of it from an anonymous donor.