Adoptive father guilty of murdering two-year-old girl in Gravesend

The adoptive father of a two-year-old girl has been found guilty of her murder.

Toddler Zahra Ghulami was taken to hospital in Dartford in Kent with serious head injuries on Wednesday 27 May 2020 - which she sustained at her home in Gravesend.

She died two days later in a hospital in London.

Medical evidence concluded that the fatal injury was likely to have been caused by Zahra being thrown to the floor or against a wall.

On Tuesday (9 January 2024), Zahra’s adoptive father, Jan Gholami, was found guilty of her murder and also child neglect, at Maidstone Crown Court.

Zahra’s adoptive mother, Roqia Ghulami, was also found guilty of child neglect.

They are both due to be sentenced on Friday 16 February.

During the seven-week trial, the court heard how Jan Gholami claimed he had been out food shopping when he returned to their home on Oak Road, to find Zahra injured.

He says Roqia was at home and found Zahra at the bottom of the stairs but did not see her fall.

Roqia stayed at home with the couple’s three other children while he took Zahra to the hospital in a taxi driven by his friend.

During examinations, doctors found evidence of older injuries, which included a skull fracture, and a healing fracture to her arm and shoulder blade.

Doctors noted that there was no bruising on Zahra’s legs or arms, which is likely when a person falls down a flight of stairs.

Medical staff raised concerns about her injuries which led to both adoptive parents being arrested.

An investigation was launched and Jan Gholami and Roqia Ghulami, both 32, were subsequently charged with murder, which they denied.

Senior investigating officer Det Insp Ross Gurden said: "Zahra had her life taken away from her by two people who had a responsibility to love and care for her.

"Jan inflicted the injuries on Zahra whilst Roqia was completely aware of his behaviour and failed to intervene and prevent Zahra from being injured.

"Zahra would have been six now, she would have started school and would be learning about the world around her, but instead her young life was cut short through violence inflicted by Jan, who should have been caring for her."

During the trial, the jury heard of previous incidents involving the couple including one where Jan was witnessed to have assaulted Roqia in the street.

He had served a short jail term in connection with these incidents.

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