West Midlands Police has issued a renewed plea for information on what would have been Zafar Medhi’s 70th birthday, more than 25 years after he was stabbed to death in his Oldbury home. The force remains determined to bring those responsible to justice, despite a previous suspect being acquitted.
The Stabbing and Investigation
Zafar Medhi collapsed between the hallway and living room of his Basons Lane property after being knifed in the chest at around 2pm on June 28, 2000. He later died in hospital. Over the years, detectives have taken more than 900 statements and recovered over 1,000 exhibits, yet no one has been convicted.
A woman previously charged with his murder was cleared by a jury. Now, police are appealing directly for two men who were seen arriving at Zafar’s home in a white car shortly before the attack but have never been traced.
Description of the Two Men
The men were observed walking to the back door of the property before leaving in the same vehicle prior to the stabbing being reported. One suspect is described as black, in his mid 20s to early 30s, of medium build, clean shaven with short straight hair, wearing a black leather jacket and dark clothing, and speaking with a Jamaican accent. The other was also black, similar age and build, but unshaven, wearing a dark blue bandana covering his hair and dark clothing, with a Brummie accent.
The car they used was similar to a 1989 Vauxhall Astra and had a green private hire plate on the rear bumper.
Family’s Plea for Justice
Zafar’s eldest daughter, Madonna, described the day of her father’s murder as something that “still replays in her head like it was yesterday.” She said: “Today would have been my father’s big 70th birthday. Twenty-six years ago, losing my father was the hardest thing me and my family ever went through. We have had to endure the weight of this unsolved tragedy without justice. Words can’t explain the pain or the impact it’s had on me and family members all these years.”
She added: “All we have are the short years of memories that we got to share with him, and wishing he was here. He was a very good man, well-loved in all communities. He helped very many people, he put people before himself. I plead for people who know anything or know who the men were that came that day to please do the right thing. Clear your conscience, help our broken hearts to get some answers about why he was taken away from us so we can at least start to heal and know why he’s not here. Bring those who killed him to justice.”
Police Urge Witnesses to Come Forward
Detective Inspector Jim Church, from the force’s homicide review team, said: “A huge amount of work has gone into this investigation over the years. We’ve taken more than 900 statements and recovered more than 1,000 exhibits, and it has been the subject of a number of reviews over the years, but sadly no one has ever been brought to justice. Zafar’s children have had to grow up without a dad, and have had to live with the anguish of not knowing who took him away from them. More than a quarter of a century has passed, and friendships and allegiances change. Now is the time for those who know what happened to come forward and tell the truth, so that we can get justice for Zafar and his family.”
Anyone with information is asked to call 101, quoting log 3171 of June 30.
