The Law Courts building, which is home to B.C. Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, is seen in Vancouver, on Thursday, November 23, 2023. Closing arguments for the first-degree murder trial of Ibrahim Ali are expected to begin today at the B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
VANCOUVER – Closing arguments in the first-degree murder trial of Ibrahim Ali are expected to begin today in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver.
Ali pleaded not guilty in April to murdering a 13-year-old girl in Burnaby, B.C.
The body of the girl, whose name has been protected by a publication ban, was found in Burnaby’s Central Park in July 2017, just hours after her mother reported her missing.
The jury heard from about four dozen Crown witnesses over the course of the almost nine-month trial, including police, civilians and experts who said the girl was sexually assaulted and strangled, and Ali’s DNA was found inside her body.
Ali’s lawyer Kevin McCullough told the jury last week that they would not be calling any evidence in defence of the allegations because the Crown hadn’t proved its case against Ali.
Crown lawyers are expected to give their closing remarks first, with defence to follow, and the judge will give his final instructions to the jury before members begin their deliberations.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2023.
