Death-gun supplier jailed for 16 years

Arfan Rafiq: jailed

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AN OLDHAM businessman who supplied the machine gun used to kill a Salford shopkeeper has been found guilty and jailed, after a re-trial.

Arfan Rafiq, of Villa Road, Hathershaw, appeared at Manchester Crown Court last week under a “joint enterprise” charge, after his original conviction was quashed.

He was originally found guilty of manslaughter, but acquitted of possession of a prohibited weapon.

On Friday, after a three week retrial, a jury of 10 unanimously found him guilty on both charges.

He was sentenced to 16 years in prison for manslaughter and five years for possession of the weapon, to run concurrently. he will serve a minimum eight years.

Rafiq gave a submachine gun to killer, Simeon Henderson, who gunned down shopkeeper, Nasar Shazad, on July 4, 2009.

Judge Justice MacKay said: “You didn’t know he was going to be killed, which is why I directed the jury to acquit you of murder. But you did know you were providing a lethal weapon for an unlawful enterprise.”

Rafiq’s involvement was discovered when pictures of a machine gun and ammunition were found on a mobile phone during an investigation into another matter.

The weapon was found the say after the killing by a member of the public - and was identified as the gun in the picture’s on Rafiq’s confiscated mobile phone.

Mohammed Hafiz (43), of Cheetham Hill and gunman Simeon Henderson (28), of no fixed abode, were jailed for life for the shooting in February, 2011.


POLICE have renewed an appeal to trace two men still wanted in connection with the murder.
The shooting was the result of rising tensions between rival groups of criminals in Bolton.

One of the gangs enlisted the help of thugs from Oldham in dealing with the dispute.

Officers are looking for Mohammed Safdar (22) formerly of Pitt Street, Oldham, and Tanveer Akbar (22) formerly of Castle Street, Bolton.

Safdar was arrested and bailed, but has since disappeared.

Akbar left the country at the time of the killing and has not been traced.

It is thought both headed for Islamabad, Pakistan, although there have been reported sightings of Akbar in Bolton.

Both men are in their 30s and were last known to have short, shaven hair. Akbar is 5ft 8in tall and Safdar is 6ft 2in tall, of slim build.


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