Ali denies iron rod belonged to him

Imshad Izrar Ali, 38, yesterday denied in the Suva High Court that the iron rod that was allegedly used to murder his de facto partner Rajeshni Deo Sharma, 34, belonged to him.

During cross examination by Director of Public Prosecutions lawyer Meli Vosawale, Ali denied showing Police officers during the scene reconstruction how he allegedly murdered Ms Sharma on November 1, 2009 at their home in Samabula.

He said he did not show the officers where the iron rod was neither did it belong to him.

He said the first and second versions of his caution interview were made up by him to convince the Police officers so that they would stop assaulting and torturing him.

Ali added that the third version of his caution interview was fabricated by the Police. He said during his four days in Police custody he was made to do push ups, press ups and he was kicked in the stomach and groin area by the Police officers.

He also claimed that he was not given a chance to shower from November 12 to 15, 2009 while in custody and he was not provided with a mattress, pillow and blanket and was made to urinate in a bottle.

Mr Vosawale asked him why he created false versions of events in his caution interview regarding his de facto partner’s death. Ali responded saying he did not know how his partner died and he created the different version of events to persuade the Police as they were forcing him to confess to the murder.

Ali disagreed with Mr Vosawale that on November 1, 2009 between 9pm-11pm he struck her with the iron rod with such severe force that he caused her to fall and bleed from her head.

He also denied kicking the left side of the deceased’s face with force which caused her injury and which was subsequently noted by the Police pathologist.

Further he said he did not strangle the deceased’s neck with the kettle cord causing her to suffocate.

In his closing address to the three assessors, defence lawyer Abhay Singh said the quality of witnesses called should be considered and not the quantity.

He highlighted the evidence of Crime Officer Inspector Maha Ram who admitted that they had no evidence against the accused when they took him in for questioning. Mr Singh said there was evidence to prove that his client’s rights were breached and that he never slept on November 12, 2009 because he was urinating blood and the Police did not take him to the hospital.

He said Ali was in custody for more than 100 hours. Judge Justice Vinsent Perera will deliver his summing up tomorrow.

The accused is in remand.

Edited by Percy Kean