Murder accused takes stand, tells his account of gruesome discovery

Murder accused Imshad Ali, 38, told the High Court in Suva yesterday that he was in tears and wanted to hug the lifeless body of his 34-year-old de facto partner, but Police officers stopped him.

Ali gave evidence during his trial, saying that he was with two Police officers and their landlord when they discovered Rajeshni Deo Sharma’s body in their Rewa Street flat on the afternoon of November 3, 2009. Ali is charged with one count of murder.

During examination in chief before judge Justice Vinsent Perera, Ali said that he went to Nadi in the early hours of November 2, 2009, to attend his court case at the Nadi Magistrates Court.

He said he kissed Ms Sharma at the gate that morning, and she asked him to bring her mangoes from Ba. Ali told the court that when he reached Nadi that day he contacted the deceased and also texted her.

After his court case he went to Ba to his uncle’s house to show him his car which was up for sale. He testified that a parent whose child attended the kindergarten which was run by the deceased called him up and asked if they had been involved in an accident.

Ali said the parent was concerned as to why the school had not opened for business that day. He said he contacted Ms Sharma several times, but to no avail and the last time he contacted her again was before he slept on the night of November 2, 2009.

On the morning of November 3, 2009 at around 7am the same parent who had contacted him the previous day called again and said that the school was still closed.

He said after receiving the call he quickly got dressed and went out to pick some mangoes and eggplant before leaving for Suva. On his way to Suva he said he called the Samabula Police Station and requested them to check the school. He reached Suva at around 1pm and went straight to their home in Rewa Street. He said he called out, but there was no response from the flat, and he did not have the keys to enter the premises.

Ali testified that he tried to jump over the fence, but it was impossible for him to do so because he had a much bigger built in 2009. He said he then went to the flat of Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro who was his neighbour and asked her if she had seen Ms Sharma or heard anything about her.

He said Ms Naisoro told him that she had not seen Ms Sharma and that she clearly recalled the accused leaving for Nadi on November 2, 2009.

Ali said Ms Naisoro also informed him that she heard a commotion coming from their flat after the accused had left for Nadi.

Ali asked her what commotion she heard, and she told him that she heard the pounding of garlic. He then asked her for her gate keys, however, she refused to give it to him. The accused then contacted their landlord for assistance, and he was told to report the matter to the Police first before the landlord would open the gate for him.

After reporting the matter to the Police the accused went to their flat with two officers and his landlord who had the spare keys to the flat. The trial continues today.

He is represented by defence lawyer Abhay Singh while state lawyer Meli Vosawale appeared for the prosecution.