Jan Gholami receives minimum 23-year sentence for brutal attack on Zahra Ghulami

Jan Gholami, 32, has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 23 years and six months for the murder of his two-year-old adopted daughter, Zahra Ghulami. The tragic incident occurred after Zahra squabbled with a sibling over a trip to Tesco to get ice cream.

Zahra, described as a bright and intelligent child, suffered significant head injuries, including a skull fracture caused by “significant impact with significant energy” at the hands of her father. Gholami and his wife, Roqia Ghulami, had adopted Zahra after her mother died in childbirth.

Gholami denied any involvement in Zahra’s death, claiming he found her unconscious and vomiting after returning from a trip to Tesco. However, the court heard that Zahra’s injuries were consistent with a deliberate act of violence, including bleeding under the brain lining and tearing of the brain itself.

While Gholami was convicted of murder, his wife, Roqia Ghulami, 32, was cleared of murder but found guilty of cruelty to a person under 16. She was sentenced to two years in jail.

During the trial, Gholami denied harming Zahra or any of his children, stating that he always looked after them and loved them equally. He claimed that he did not have a favourite child and treated Zahra well.

Detective Inspector Ross Gurden, the senior investigating officer, described Zahra’s death as a betrayal of trust, stating that she would have thought she was being cared for by people who loved her. He commended the jury for their verdict, noting that while the outcome cannot bring Zahra back, it ensures that those responsible for her death have been brought to justice