Ghazi renounces right to bail hearing
The Montreal man charged with first-degree murder after he allegedly stabbed his pregnant wife and caused the death of their unborn child renounced his right to a bail hearing on Friday.
Moulay-Badre Aber, a defence lawyer who took on Sofiane Ghazi’s case this week, made the announcement to Quebec Court Judge Mylène Grégoire during a hearing at the Montreal courthouse on Friday. The decision means Ghazi, 37, will remain detained while he faces several charges filed against him last month after his estranged wife was stabbed. It also means the case can more quickly move on to the preliminary inquiry stage.
Ghazi’s wife was eight months pregnant at the time she was stabbed. The child died within a few hours after being delivered by an emergency C-section at a hospital. The child is referred to as “Bébé Ghazi” in the charge sheet filed against Ghazi.
Ghazi is charged with the firstdegree murder of the child and the attempted murder of his wife. Grégoire placed a publication ban on the wife’s name and other information that might identify her.
Prosecutor Anne Aubé announced that the Crown has filed two additional charges against Ghazi. One alleges he harassed his wife between June 20 and July 24, the day she was stabbed, and that he assaulted her on July 21.
Aubé explained to reporters on Friday that a person can be charged with first-degree murder (as opposed to a lesser charge like manslaughter or second-degree murder) if there is evidence they killed someone within the context of committing another crime like harassment.
The case returns to court in September.