Tahir Zarif convicted of Akhtar Javeed's Digbeth murder

Police released an image of the moment Tahir Zarif was apprehended on a plane

A gunman who fled to Pakistan after shooting a businessman during a raid at a Birmingham warehouse has been convicted of his murder.

Father-of-four Akhtar Javeed, 56, died defending his business in 2016.

Tahir Zarif fled the UK five days after the shooting but was traced by police and extradited from Pakistan in 2020.

He pleaded not guilty to murder at Coventry Crown Court but was convicted on Wednesday. Two other men had already been jailed over the events.

The Direct Source 3 fast food distribution warehouse was targeted on the evening of 3 February after a former disgruntled employee drew a plan of the premises so the trio knew where to go once inside, police said.

Business owner Akhtar Javeed died in February 2016

Staff were threatened and their hands were bound with cable ties at the Digbeth premises nearly seven years ago.

Zarif, of Osmaston Road, Derby, led Mr Javeed from the office into the reception area where he shot him in the leg as a warning to open the safe, police said.

As he tried to escape he was shot in the throat and chest but managed to stagger out of the premises before collapsing in the street.

West Midlands Police said officers worked with many organisations, including the National Crime Agency, British High Commission in Pakistan and the Pakistani authorities, to pursue Zarif before he was finally detained in Mirpur on 17 January 2018.

The 32-year-old claimed he accidentally shot Mr Javeed twice in a struggle, police said.

Zarif is due to be sentenced next month

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."

Zarif is due to be sentenced in Coventry on 9 December.

At Birmingham Crown Court in 2016, Suraj Mistry, 26, was found guilty of Mr Javeed's manslaughter, plus possession of a firearm.

Mistry, of Laundon Way, Leicester, was also convicted of plotting to commit robbery along with Lemar Wali, 19. Both men were found not guilty of murder.