Police 'followed policy' in Birmingham stabbing search

Zafran Nawaz's body was found in a shed in Birmingham in 2015

An independent investigation has found police officers acted "in line with their policies" after a missing man was found stabbed to death in a shed.

Zafran Nawaz, 34, made an anonymous 999 call on 20 May 2015 saying he had been stabbed, but it took police two days to find his body in Birmingham.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said West Midlands Police "reacted to emerging evidence".

Akbar Khan was jailed for life for the murder of Mr Nawaz in 2015.

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Mr Nawaz, from Yardley, Birmingham, was found dead wrapped in plastic sheeting in a shed on Carlton Road, Bordesley Green, with more than 120 knife wounds on 22 May 2015.

'High risk'

After his emergency call on 20 May, police visited Carlton Road but found no signs of violence, disorder, or suspicious activity, the IOPC report said.

Later that day, Mrs Nawaz made the first of several reports to police that her husband was missing.

Information provided by her and further police investigations led to officers upgrading Mr Nawaz's missing person status to 'high risk' and they returned to Carlton Road with search warrants on 22 May.

It was then that Mr Nawaz's body was found.

The IOPC investigation, which considered the force's response to the 999 call and the subsequent missing person reports, concluded that police dealt with calls "in line with their policies and procedures".

IOPC regional director Derrick Campbell, said: "Our investigator concluded that officers acted in accordance with relevant policies and procedures, reacted to emerging evidence and information."

Khan, of Carlton Road, Bordesley Green, was ordered to serve a minimum term of 20 years.