From 'softly-spoken boy' to cold-blooded killer: Three faces of Tinashe Kampira as family says 'our son is innocent'

The family of aSheffieldman jailed for life the horrific murder of a lawyer in a city centre alleyway say they cannot believe their son is in prison.

Tinashe Kampira, 20, wassentenced to a minimum term of 26 yearson Tuesday. His parents, Nicholas and Nancy Kampira, a married couple with three children, believe their son, who lured Khurm Javed, a 31-year-old dad, to his death, is innocent.

The jury disagreed following damning evidence presented atSheffield Crown Court, which found Kampira guilty of murder, alongside Samsul Mohamed, 19. Because while their son did not pull the trigger, he did work with Mohamed to get Mr Javed into the alleyway where he was shot by Mohamed. He was then stabbed in the back.

His parents say they did not see the conviction and sentence coming, believing it is "not something he would have done" and that their "soft spoken" son who was "always laughing" is not a killer. They intend to appeal the conviction.

Nicholas said: "What hurts the most is people seeing my son as a killer, and calling him a murderer. My son had never been in trouble before, had never seen, or held a gun before. Not even a knife or been in a fight. My son is soft person."

A tearful Nancy believes her "intelligent and smart" son is only paying a price for being in the "wrong place at the wrong time".

Tinashe Kampira arrived in the UK aged two years and six months according to his father Nicholas

Kampira was born in Zimbabwe, a small southern African country. His parents moved to the UK in 2004, just two years after the country's economy tanked.

Kampira landed in the UK just after he turned two. His mother remembers it vividly. His family, Christians, say he grew up in a loving and united home, where everyone attended church loyally, if not dutifully.

During one of those services, someone lifted an eight-year-old Kampira and told his parents the boy was destined to be a pastor - a name that stuck until his incarceration.

Nancy said: "He lifted him up, and turned towards me and asked me if I knew that my son had a calling, and would be a pastor. Since then we called him Pastor in the house."

And the family say Kampira, who is now serving a life sentence, has not waivered from his faith. They say he bought a bible in jail.

'Out of character'

Kampira's parents concede children can get up to anything when they are not home, and out of view of their parents, but they insist murder is not something their son wouldn't have done. Nancy said: "You can't testify to what a child can and cannot do out there, but my son is not capable of killing anyone."

Kampira family say they do not believe their "smiling" son committed murder

Nancy says her son befriended a fellow teenager from Sheffield who had mental health difficulties and then volunteered to take him to the park and walk the other teen's dog.

Nancy said: "He really used to love helping the young man with mental difficulties. He would take him to the park, walk his dog, and hang out with him. That is the kind of person he was. A loving boy who would connect with people and help them."

"He is a brilliant young man who doesn't talk but is always laughing. He is not a killer."

Nicholas said: "My son complied with bail conditions, even moved to Liverpool during trial, where he remained a good boy and was never in trouble. He has a good character."

A tragic day of epic proportion

The Kampira family say the day of the shooting was just like any other day. Nancy says she thought nothing of Kampira's request to go and hang out and gave him some money as he left with a friend.

She says she could have never foreseen what happened next. A young, successful father would be dead and several lives would be changed forever.

Sometime after 9pm,South Yorkshire Policewere called and were told a man had been shot next to a basketball court in Clough Road, Sheffield. Emergency services attended and found Khurm in a pool of blood. Paramedics declared Khurm dead soon after.

He had been shot three times. One bullet ripped through his chest, piercing his heart and lungs, leading to catastrophic bleeding. Mohamed and his brothers Saydul Mohamed, 22, and Sohidul Mohamed, 24, as well Kampira were arrested.

beplay官网手机登陆Kampira的家人说他们的儿子不知道Mohamed, the shooter, personally, and had only become acquainted with him on that fateful night through another friend, who lived in the same street as Mohamed. Kampira was orginally charged with assisting and offender but as more evidence was gathered, this was changed to murder.

Different versions were put forward in court, and lawyers for Kampira told the court he had not held a gun, although he had been in a scuffle where he claimed he was attacked. They claimed he had not known Mohamed personally, or known that Mohamed had a gun that night.

Lives torn apart and living in constant fear

Tinashe Kampira, far left with white shirt, sitting with his mother Nancy, and brother

The Kampira family say they regret events of that fateful night and that the shooting has torn families apart. Both Nancy and Nicholas say many lives will never be the same and they say it began long before any court proceedings.

On January 22 this year, as their son was on bail, awaiting trial, Nancy claims a masked man with a balaclava and knife ambushed her outside her door, and stabbed her son. The attack left him with a huge wound on his leg and him using crutches for over eight weeks.

Nancy, who believes the attack was retaliatory, says she now lives in fear. She said: "Now we live in fear. Before I go out to the car, I have to stand by the window and scan around. When I enter the car, I lock the door first then do everything after. I don’t trust anybody anymore. We are not safe."

But for Khurm's family, he paid the ultimate price - and nothing will compare to their loss.

After Kampira and Mohamed were sentenced, Javed's wife, Sanna, told the court a part of her had died the day her husband was killed by Kampira and Mohamed.

Sanna Munir described him as her "best friend and soul mate" who had a "presence and wisdom beyond his years". She said: "A part of me died too. I will mourn Khurm forever."

The Kampira family say they understand this, and empathise with all families whose lives have now been changed, including the Mohamed family, who have seen their three children jailed. Nancy said: "I feel for Samsul's mother. Her sons are all in jail now, only one is left. It's terrible."

As for their son, now a convicted murderer, the family say they feel his life is effectively over. Nicholas said: "He is 20. He was given 26 years and will be 46 when he is released. At 46, life has finished for you. I hope my son can be released and the truth from that night revealed. We are appealing the conviction."

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