Murder trial: Ex-Pilot Pleads For Court’s Mercy
Ex-Pilot Imshad Izrar Ali, 38, convicted for the murder of his de-facto partner pleaded for mercy at the High Court in Suva yesterday. This was implored through by his lawyer, Abhay Singh before Justice Vinsent Perera.
Ali was charged with one count of murder. He was found guilty of killing Ms Sharma, 34, in their Rewa Street, Samabula home, on November 1, 2009. He was found guilty by the three assessors and also by Justice Perera and was convicted accordingly. Ali appeared in court yesterday for his sentence hearing and mitigation. He will be sentenced today. In his submission, state lawyer Meli Vosawale said the accused had no previous convictions and the only proscribed penalty for murder is life imprisonment. The aggravating factor was the use of an offensive weapon and the serious violence used on the deceased.
Mr Vosawale said the use of the iron rod had rendered the deceased unconscious, adding the accused kicked the woman’s face and strangled her using a kettle cord. He said even though he sympathised with the accused’s situation given his medical report, he said the accused was convicted for a case which carried a mandatory life sentence.
Ali’s lawyer Mr Singh also clarified to the court that his client never absconded bail, rather he went to India for medical treatment and instead of returning to Fiji for his case he got married in India and had a child.
He was brought back to Fiji when he was caught for something in India. The accused is in remand.
Edited by Caroline Ratucadra