Moving tribute to murder victim Tanveer Iqbal as Oldbury man and ex wife convicted of killing him

The family of Tanveer Iqbal, a father-of-two, who was strangled and his body dumped in the boot of a car abandoned in Egbaston said:“Tanveer was taken away from us in a way which has had a profound effect and changed our lives forever.

"It is indescribable pain to lose a loved one in such a brutal manner. All we can say is that there is no bigger pain in this world than this experience. We cannot comprehend how anyone could be so callous and cold-hearted.

"Tanveer was good husband, wonderful father, a loving son and an amazing brother who has been stolen from us in an evil act robbing our lives of the most precious jewel forever.

“Tanveer was the most loved and had a unique attachment to everyone in the family. He was of a good nature and presented exceptional love for his brothers, sisters, parents, nieces and nephews.

"He was always there for his family. He had an exclusive gift of being able to make friendships with anyone he met. We have never met anyone who had anything negative to say about him. He never had a bad word to say against anyone either.

“Tanveer’s loss was also felt in the entire community, reflected in the huge numbers of people who came to pay their respects at his funeral. Our family is proud of the fact that Tanveer had so many friends in the community who respected him and still remember him in their prayers to this day.

“Now that justice has been done today the family and the entire community can have some closure.

"The loss of Tanveer has left a gap in our lives that will never be filled. Each passing day, we pray to God and we will continue to pray asking for the strength to be able to carry on with our lives for the sake of our parents and families.

“As a family we wish thank the West Midlands Police’s senior investigation officer Mr Paul Joyce and his team. We also wish to thank in particular the Family liaison Officers DC Junior Stephens and DC Asam Shazad who have been there for us supporting us throughout this investigation.

"The family would also like to extent this appreciation and gratitude to our legal team, Barrister Sally Howes and Michael Williams for helping us get justice.”

            Zatoon Bibi                                          Gul Nawaz

Gul Nawaz, aged 44, of Roway Lane, Oldbury, Zatoon Bibi, aged 37, and a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named due to his age, were found guilty by a jury at Birmingham Crown Court this morning following a six week trial.

Another teenager – a girl aged 17 – had already admitted perverting the course of justice.

The court heard how shop owner Tanveer Iqbal was in a relationship with Bibi despite both of them being married – though she an Nawaz had split up several years ago. It was an arrangement which was common knowledge to their family and friends.

On the afternoon of Sunday January 31 – the day after turning 33 – he closed his shop, Hi Tech Music, Shireland Road, Smethwick, as normal.

He then drove to his mistress’s home on Bridgeburn Road, Bartley Green, after she invited him over on the premise of celebrating his birthday.

But when Tanveer got to the house that night Bibi and Nawaz, strangled him.

They then wrapped his body in an old TV box, sealed it with duct tape and rope and then placed him into the boot of his own Renault Clio.

Police launched a high-risk missing person inquiry the next morning after Tanveer’s friends and family raised the alarm when they struggled to get hold of him.

At 1.20pm on Monday February 1 police were called to Portland Road, Edgbaston, where the businessman’s car had been spotted by one of his friends.

The boot of the Ranault Clio was opened by officers and his body was found inside.

Detectives identified Bibi and Nawaz as prime suspects when they started trawling CCTV footage from the surrounding area from the night before he was discovered.

It showed a woman parking the car at around 9pm, being picked up by a man in a Vauxhall Zafira and the pair then driving back to a Nawaz's house in Roway Lane.

Footage from earlier that evening showed the same Vauxhall Zafira on the driveway outside Bibi’s property on Bridgeburn Road and Mr Iqbal arriving in his Renault Clio.

At 7.30pm – an hour and a half before the Clio was dumped – officers could see a woman coming out of the address, reversing the Clio up the drive and two people putting something bulky into the boot.

The same woman got into the Renault Clio and drove off at around 8.30pm, immediately followed by the two other people in the Zafira, which is then tracked towards Portland Road.

The couple were arrested on suspicion of murder on Monday February 8.

Detective Inspector Paul Joyce said: “This case relied largely on circumstantial evidence which, when combined, painted a compelling picture of what was a chilling and calculated pre-meditated murder.

“The whole thing was thoroughly planned. Bibi messaged Tanveer on the Sunday afternoon to check he was still coming over; she told him she’d got cake to celebrate his birthday.

“But the reality is that she was luring him to his death because just three hours earlier her husband Gul Nawaz was in Poundland buying the murder kit ready to kill him.

“Although we can’t say exactly what happened we do know that together – and with the help of another person who we aren’t allowed to name – they strangled Tanveer inside Bibi’s home.

“They then wrapped his body up in an old box, put him in the boot of his own car and abandoned it on a busy suburban road presumably in the hope that they could get away with their crime.”

Bibi and Nawaz always denied having any involvement in the killing.