A Gravesend resident, Jan Gholami, aged 33, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his adopted child, two-year-old Zahra Ghulami. Gholami will have to serve a minimum of 23 years and six months before being considered for parole. His partner, Roqia Ghulami, aged 32, has been jailed for two years for child neglect.
The tragic incident unfolded on 27 May 2020, when Zahra Ghulami was taken to the hospital with severe head injuries. She tragically passed away two days later. Gholami and Ghulami had adopted Zahra from Afghanistan, their country of origin, before relocating to the United Kingdom.
Following Zahra’s admission to the hospital, concerns were raised by medical staff, leading to the arrest of her adoptive parents on the same day. Officers from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate launched an investigation, resulting in Jan Gholami and Roqia Ghulami being charged with murder.
During the trial, Gholami claimed innocence, stating that he had found Zahra injured upon returning home from a food shopping trip. He alleged that his partner had discovered Zahra at the bottom of the stairs but did not witness the fall. Despite his efforts to call for an ambulance, Gholami admitted to struggling with understanding the questions posed by emergency services, and Zahra was ultimately taken to the hospital by taxi.
However, medical examinations revealed Zahra had suffered not only from severe head trauma but also from older injuries, including a skull fracture and a healing fracture to her arm and shoulder blade. Medical experts concluded that the fatal injury was likely caused by Zahra being thrown against a hard surface rather than a fall down the stairs.
Throughout the trial, evidence emerged of previous instances of violence perpetrated by Gholami against his partner. These incidents, along with the evidence of neglect in Zahra’s care, contributed to the guilty verdicts.
Commenting on the sentencing, Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Ross Gurden stated, “Zahra would have thought she was being cared for by people who loved her. She trusted them but she was betrayed in the most brutal way.” He commended the jury for carefully considering all evidence presented during the lengthy trial and emphasized that while the verdict cannot undo the tragedy, it ensures accountability for Zahra’s death.
The sentencing, delivered at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday 16 February 2024, serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding vulnerable children and holding perpetrators of such heinous crimes accountable for their actions.
