Gunman facing life for businessman’s execution
Warehouse raider brought to justice six years after fleeing
AGUNMAN who killed a Birmingham businessman six years ago is facing life behind bars after justice finally caught up with him.
Tahir Zarif was has finally been convicted of the execution-style murder of Akhtar Javeed.
Zarif, 31, and three other men, raided Direct Source 3 warehouse on Rea Street in Digbeth.
But the raid, in February 2016, went horrifically wrong as the gang threatened manager Akhtar Javeed and ordered him to give up the company’s takings.
Zarif led Mr Javeed from the office into the reception where he shot him in the leg as a violent warning to open the safe.
The victim had tried to escape, but was shot twice more at point blank range, police said.
Fatally injured Mr Javeed managed to escape before stumbling across the car park to the pavement where he collapsed and died.
Police said Zarif fled the UK to Pakistan on February 8, 2016 – five days after he and three other men raided the premises.
Detectives painstakingly trawled CCTV to trace the gang’s movements in the hours before and after the robbery, corroborating the images with mobile phone data and ANPR captures before three of the gang were arrested and charged.
A jury heard how one of the gang – a former disgruntled employee at Direct Source 3 – drew a plan of the warehouse so the robbers knew exactly where to go once inside.
They were jailed for a combined total of nearly 40 years – one for Mr Javeed’s manslaughter and the other two for conspiracy to commit robbery.
But Zarif remained on the run. Detectives worked with the National Crime Agency, CPS, Foreign Office, the British High Commission in Pakistan and the Pakistani authorities to pursue Zarif and he was finally detained in Mirpur in January 2018.
He was extradited back to the UK in February 2020 and stood trial at Coventry Crown Court last month.
Zarif claimed he accidentally shot Mr Javeed twice in a struggle, but was found guilty of murder.
Zarif now faces life when he is sentenced this Friday.
Speaking after Zarif was convicted, Mr Javeed’s daughter Lilas said: “It’s been six years and nine months since my father’s life was taken by Tahir Zarif. My father has been in our thoughts every day since.
“As I have said before my father was an honourable gentleman. Another man’s greed led to my father’s unlawful death.
“We are grateful to West Midlands Police for their hard work in ensuring justice is served.”
Det Insp Ranj Sangha added: “Despite most of the gang being jailed for this horrific crime back in 2016, we refused to rest until Zarif, who fired the fatal shots, was brought to justice.
“We worked really closely with partners in this country and in Pakistan to get this result, and I hope Mr Akhtar’s family can get some sense of closure from today.”
Despite most of the gang being jailed for this horrific crime, we refused to rest until Zarif, who fired the fatal shots, was brought to justice. DI Ranj Sangha