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| Reward of £50k offered over 1994 taxi driver murder | Reward of £50k offered over 1994 taxi driver murder |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Ethsham Ul-Haq Ghafoor was known to his friends and family as Shami | Ethsham Ul-Haq Ghafoor was known to his friends and family as Shami |
| The sister of a taxi driver who was found shot dead in his car with his hands tied and bound to the steering wheel hopes they have come to a "turning point" 30 years after the murder. | |
| Nottinghamshire Police, which announced on Friday it is reinvestigating the murder, said Ethsham Ul-Haq Ghafoor - known to his friends and family as Shami - was shot in the early hours of 22 November 1994. | Nottinghamshire Police, which announced on Friday it is reinvestigating the murder, said Ethsham Ul-Haq Ghafoor - known to his friends and family as Shami - was shot in the early hours of 22 November 1994. |
| The 26-year-old, who was expecting a baby daughter at the time, was discovered by a milkman at Lambley Lane Playing Fields in Gedling, Nottinghamshire. | The 26-year-old, who was expecting a baby daughter at the time, was discovered by a milkman at Lambley Lane Playing Fields in Gedling, Nottinghamshire. |
| A reward of up to £50,000 has been offered for information on Mr Ghafoor's murder, which has been described by police as an "execution". | |
| Mr Ghafoor's siblings, Aisha and Harfan Ghafoor, joined a press conference on Friday on the 30th anniversary of the murder | |
| The force added a team of detectives were working to "ensure justice is finally served". | |
| Mr Ghafoor's sister Aisha, who attended the police press conference on Friday, said the family were "always hopeful". | |
| "As long as we're around we won't give up. We want justice," she added. "Without justice and without closure, you never see the peace. | |
| "We know none of this will bring him back. But we want to know the truth." | |
| Ms Ghafoor said her brother's death has affected the whole family "very deeply" | |
| She said the "heinous" murder of her brother has had an impact on the whole family, including a sibling who was only 17 years old at the time, and "never recovered" after the murder. | |
| "He got into a deep depression," Ms Ghafoor said. | |
| "He couldn't understand how Shami was targeted in a way that he was targeted. | |
| "He had mental issues throughout his life. And then three years ago, he died of a cardiac arrest. He actually gave up living a long time ago." | |
| She said Mr Ghafoor's son and daughter both have three children each on their own, who "will never know how much of a loving grandfather he would have been". | |
| The grieving sister has urged anyone who may have information about the murder to come forward, adding: "To have killers walking down the street, openly, not having brought to justice - it's just unfathomable. | |
| "We are hoping that this is a turning point." | |
| Harfan Ghafoor says his world "crushed" when he found out about his brother's death | |
| Mr Gharfoon's brother, Harfan, recalls the last time he saw his late sibling, just before he left for work. | |
| "I was fighting him for a kiss on the cheek," he said. | |
| "And that was on the night, before he left for work. He gave in in the end, he always did." | |
| But the next morning, everything has changed. | |
| "My world crushed," said Mr Gharfoon. "I couldn't believe it." | |
| 'Until the last breath' | |
| He said the new efforts to investigate his brother's murder 30 years on were "very important", adding he is mindful his brother's murderer is "still out there". | |
| "I'm very picky on who I become friends with. Because we just don't know," he added. | |
| "Anybody who we've grown up with or whatever, they could possibly be the murderers of my brother." | |
| He said he had more friends in his professional life because of the "association of not knowing". | |
| "We're forever hopeful aren't we?" he added. "Until the last breath. | |
| "He's my brother. It's my blood. Regardless of what people might think, he's a member of the family." | |
| Police said Mr Ghafoor was a "soon-to-be dad, who was executed in his own taxi in a secluded area" | Police said Mr Ghafoor was a "soon-to-be dad, who was executed in his own taxi in a secluded area" |
| Police said Mr Ghafoor, of Sherwood Rise in Nottingham, was last seen in Carlton Square with three Asian men in his black and white Ford Sierra just after 02:00 GMT. His body was found at 04:30. | Police said Mr Ghafoor, of Sherwood Rise in Nottingham, was last seen in Carlton Square with three Asian men in his black and white Ford Sierra just after 02:00 GMT. His body was found at 04:30. |
| The weapon used in the killing has never been recovered, the force added. | The weapon used in the killing has never been recovered, the force added. |
| Mr Ghafoor and his wife had been expecting a baby daughter at the time of his death. He also had a five-year-old son. | Mr Ghafoor and his wife had been expecting a baby daughter at the time of his death. He also had a five-year-old son. |
| A number of people were arrested at the time, but no-one has ever been convicted. | A number of people were arrested at the time, but no-one has ever been convicted. |
| Mr Ghafoor, who had been working on the night he was killed, was well-known among his colleagues, the force added. | Mr Ghafoor, who had been working on the night he was killed, was well-known among his colleagues, the force added. |
| Officers said the location his body was found was secluded, especially at night, and was not a place usually used for taxi pick-ups or drop-offs. | Officers said the location his body was found was secluded, especially at night, and was not a place usually used for taxi pick-ups or drop-offs. |
| The appeal includes the reward offered by Crimestoppers, in exchange for any leads given exclusively to the charity that could lead to a conviction, and it runs until 22 February. | The appeal includes the reward offered by Crimestoppers, in exchange for any leads given exclusively to the charity that could lead to a conviction, and it runs until 22 February. |
| The charity is appealing to the public to contact them anonymously if they have any information. | The charity is appealing to the public to contact them anonymously if they have any information. |
| 'Out of his depth' | 'Out of his depth' |
| Police say major developments in forensic science have allowed items from the scene of the crime to be examined, providing detectives with new opportunities. | Police say major developments in forensic science have allowed items from the scene of the crime to be examined, providing detectives with new opportunities. |
| The force believes the answer lies within the community, and asked anyone with information, no matter how small, to come forward. | The force believes the answer lies within the community, and asked anyone with information, no matter how small, to come forward. |
| Assistant Chief Constable Rob Griffin told a press conference that Mr Ghafoor was "probably associating with some members of the criminal fraternity". | Assistant Chief Constable Rob Griffin told a press conference that Mr Ghafoor 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," he said. | "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," he said. |
| "This is why I think he was killed." | "This is why I think he was killed." |
| ACC Griffin asked the public to "put themselves in Shami's family’s shoes" | ACC Griffin asked the public to "put themselves in Shami's family’s shoes" |
| ACC Griffin said Mr Ghafoor's family had waited "30 years for the closure they rightfully deserve". | ACC Griffin said Mr Ghafoor's family had waited "30 years for the closure they rightfully deserve". |
| "Shami's family can never move on with their lives without answers and you could be sitting on the very answers they require," he said. | "Shami's family can never move on with their lives without answers and you could be sitting on the very answers they require," he said. |
| "We know that there will be people out there that know what happened, that have that information. | "We know that there will be people out there that know what happened, that have that information. |
| "We know that loyalties change over the years, and this is exactly what we are relying on. | "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." | "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." |
| Mr Ghafoor was discovered by a milkman at Lambley Lane Playing Fields in Gedling | Mr Ghafoor was discovered by a milkman at Lambley Lane Playing Fields in Gedling |
| Get in touch | Get in touch |
| Tell us which stories we should cover in Nottingham | Tell us which stories we should cover in Nottingham |
| ACC Griffin said a number of reviews of "this terrible crime" had been carried out over the last 30 years. | ACC Griffin said a number of reviews of "this terrible crime" had been carried out over the last 30 years. |
| In 2013, Mr Ghafoor's family launched a Facebook campaign to appeal for information and help catch his killer. | In 2013, Mr Ghafoor's family launched a Facebook campaign to appeal for information and help catch his killer. |
| A reward of up to £20,000 was offered ahead of the 20th anniversary of Mr Ghafoor's "targeted" shooting. | A reward of up to £20,000 was offered ahead of the 20th anniversary of Mr Ghafoor's "targeted" shooting. |
| Later that year, three pieces of evidence were revealed by police investigating the murder. | Later that year, three pieces of evidence were revealed by police investigating the murder. |
| "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," said ACC Griffin. | "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," said ACC Griffin. |
| "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." | "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." |
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