Tracked down: Killer jailed four years after fleeing to Norway

Abdulahi Shire attacked Zakir Nawaz in Highfield Road, Washwood Heath, Birmingham, on September 10, 2016, in a fight sparked by a minor road collision.

Shire fled along with fellow attacker Warsame Mohamed – who was jailed last July after admitting manslaughter – and managed to sneak out of the country.

They left 21-year-old Mr Nawaz – who had just become a father for the second time 10 days before the attack – to die in the street. He suffered a fatal stab wound to his chest.

A European Arrest Warrant was issued for Shire – who is originally from Holland – shortly after the killing and detectives from West Midlands Police worked with Europol in a bid to plot the 24-year-old’s movements on the continent.

Crucially, officers received intelligence last July suggesting Shire was lying low at an apartment block in Oslo. He was detained by the Norwegian authorities and handed over to murder detectives on July 28, after they flew to the Norwegian capital to arrest him.

Family

Shire went on to admit involvement in the disorder – but denied being the knifeman. CCTV footage of the disorder could not conclusively prove Shire inflicted the fatal blow when Mr Nawaz – known as Rex – fell to the ground.

However, he went on to admit manslaughter and today he was jailed for six years and 10 months.

Detective Sergeant Neil Aston from the force's homicide unit thanked Mr Nawaz’s family for their patience and understanding during the investigation.

He said: “It’s been four-and-a-half years since Mr Nawaz’s life was tragically cut short. It’s been a long road to justice but I hope his family can now take some comfort from the fact the man we suspect played the lead role in the attack has been convicted.

“My team worked really hard to secure this conviction plus those of two other men involved in the disorder.

“We scrutinised lots of CCTV to piece together a picture of what happened and called upon forensic and facial mapping experts to link the offenders to the attack.

“I would like to thank our counterparts in Europol and the Norwegian Police for their support, plus to thank Mr Nawaz’s family for their patience through what was a prolonged enquiry.”

Mohamed was initially jailed for four-and-a-half years in July 2019 after admitting manslaughter − but his sentence was appealed as being unduly lenient and the Court of Appeal later increased it to seven years.

A 29-year-old man was jailed in March 2017 for two years having admitting a charge of violent disorder.