Plea changed after mental ‘impairment’ disputed
AN AUCKLAND man who murdered his wife and daughter feigned amnesia and psychosis but pleaded guilty after psychologists disputed his impairment in court.
Ishrat Malik, 55, appeared in the High Court at Auckland this week where he pleaded guilty to murdering Farhat Malik and their 18-year-old daughter Sidra Malik.
The pair were discovered stabbed to death in their Pooks Rd, Ranui, home on May 19.
Newly released court documents show Malik, a taxi driver, called his work on the morning of the murder and said he would not be coming in for a few days.
At 10am police received a call from the Malik house though nothing was said. Another call was made at 11am and when asked what was happening at the house a heavily accented male voice said ‘‘murder, murder, murder’’.
The man confirmed the address and told police to come. Police were met at the house by Malik who had ‘‘a significant amount of blood’’ on him.
His wife, Farhat Malik, was found dead on a bed in the upstairs bedroom, daughter Sidra Malik was found dead on the floor of a downstairs bedroom. Both had been stabbed several times in the torso with a large kitchen knife found next to Sidra’s body.
Malik phoned his other daughter about 10.40am and told her he had killed her mother and sister.
After his arrest, Malik was assessed by a psychologist who diagnosed him with dissociative amnesia and said he was therefore unfit to stand trial.
A procedure under the Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act was initiated in which Malik was assessed by several specialists.
Justice Simon Moore
said the first doctor to diagnose Malik reassessed him and concluded there was ‘‘strong evidence that Malik was feigning or exaggerating some of his symptoms’’.
He nevertheless diagnosed him with narcissistic personality disorder, but withdrew his diagnosis of dissociative amnesia.
He said Malik had a ‘‘constellation’’ of psychological difficulties – preoccupations, incoherence, grandiosity, narcissistic distractibility and agitation – that would make him unfit to stand trial.
A second doctor concluded that Malik was ‘‘feigning his answers and was deliberately choosing wrong answers in order to appear unfit to stand trial’’.
Another doctor said Malik’s memory deficits were ‘‘so significant they were clearly feigned’’ but all doctors said some symptoms seemed genuine.
A fourth doctor agreed Malik was concocting his presentation. He also noted that Malik ‘‘was reported by his family to abuse friendships and relationships strategically’’.
‘‘[He] reportedly complained of symptoms of ill health in order to achieve what he wanted. For example, he often complained of asthma or heart attacks or other health problems which would disappear without medical treatment when the end he wished to achieve was realised.’’
Justice Moore said there was agreement that Malik was feigning or exaggerating his symptoms.
The judge said Malik’s symptoms were ‘‘the consequence of his voluntary and wilful decision to attempt to avoid accepting responsibility for the killing of his wife and daughter’’. He ruled Malik was fit to stand trial.
Malik pleaded guilty six days later.