£50,000 reward offered as detectives revisit Nottingham brutal 1994 taxi driver murder case

Detectives are renewing their investigation into the 1994 murder of Nottingham taxi driver Ethsham Ul-Haq Ghafoor, known as Shami, nearly three decades after his death. The charity Crimestoppers is offering a reward of up to £50,000 for information leading to a conviction.

Shami, aged 26 and a father of one with another child on the way, was found shot dead in his taxi on 22 November 1994. His body was discovered at Lambley Lane Playing Fields in Gedling by a milkman at 4:30am. His hands were tied to the steering wheel, and police have described the killing as an “execution”.

The investigation has gained new momentum as police mark the 30th anniversary of the crime. Advances in forensic technology have allowed detectives to re-examine items from the crime scene, generating fresh leads.

Shami was last seen alive at 2:40am in Carlton Square, Nottingham, where he was spotted with three Asian men in his black-and-white Ford Sierra. The location where his body was found was remote and not a common spot for taxi activity. The firearm used to kill him has never been recovered.

At the time of the murder, several arrests were made, but no one was charged. Investigators believe vital information remains within the community and are urging anyone with knowledge of the crime to come forward, regardless of how insignificant they believe it may be.

Crimestoppers, an independent charity, is facilitating anonymous tip-offs and has pledged the £50,000 reward for information provided directly to them by 22 February 2025. This renewed appeal aims to deliver long-awaited answers for Shami’s family and bring those responsible to justice.

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.”