THE ORKNEY ASSASSIN - MURDER IN THE ISLES

On 2nd June 1994, it was a beautiful summer evening in The Orkney Islands just off Scotland’s north coast, when a gunshot rang out that would alter the tranquil rhythm of island life forever.

Families were dining in a popular Indian Restaurant in the main town of Kirkwall, when a masked man calmly walked in, shot dead a waiter, Shamsuddin Mahmood, at point-blank range, and then vanished into the night.

With detectives arriving overnight and the island sealed off, all anyone could wonder was who killed Shamsuddin Mahmood? And why? The small, close-knit community was shaken to its core, as locals could hardly believe that such an act of violence could take place in their peaceful corner of the world.

What followed was an investigation clouded by rumours, suspicions, and corruption. As the search for the truth progressed relationships were fractured and torn apart by secrets, lies, and allegations of police failures.

Despite the determination of a few, the case began to slip into obscurity, and the trail ran began to run cold. Then, 12 years after the murder, a mysterious letter was left at the local police station. What followed was a stunning revelation that led to the shock arrest of an unlikely suspect – turning everything the islanders believed on its head.

Unravelling a complex web of justice, racism and betrayal, this feature-length documentary profiles one of Scotland’s most controversial murder investigations. Drawing on never-before-seen archival material and compelling first-hand accounts, this film gives a voice to those who have remained silent for decades; hearing from eyewitnesses, police detectives, journalists, lawyers, and even the family who believe a grave miscarriage of justice has occurred.

As new revelations come to light, we discover that the case of Shamsuddin Mahmood is far from over, with a shadow of doubt still lingering and dividing opinion in the Orkney Islands to this day.