£50,000 reward offered in unsolved murder of Nottingham taxi driver

A reward of up to £50,000 is being offered from Crimestoppers as detectives are re-investigating the murder of a taxi driver in Nottingham.
Ethsham Ul-Haq Ghafoor, 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 4.30am 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 have been re-investigating the crime.
They are hoping to provide his family with the answers they desperately need and ensure justice is finally served.
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 have 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 that there will be people out there that know what happened, that 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 that 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 £50,000 reward as an extra incentive. This is a huge reward for information that leads to conviction. I would like to personally thank Crimestoppers for their help and 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.”
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 2.40am in Carlton Square where he was seen with three Asian men in his black and white Ford Sierra.
The location his body was found was secluded especially at night and not a location 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, a number of items have been examined from the scene of the crime which is 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 who have any information, no matter how small, to please come forward.
Crimestoppers, a charity which is independent of the police, is supporting this investigation by offering a reward of up to £50,000 for information that they exclusively receive that leads to a conviction.
The reward is available for three months and is due to expire on the 22nd February 2025. They are appealing to the public to contact them anonymously if they have any information.
Lydia Patsalides, East Midlands regional manager at 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.”
Anyone with information can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or call 101 quoting incident number 0300 of the 15th November 2024.