The lawyer defending a man accused of murdering five family members told the Lautoka High Court yesterday that he was puzzled as to how the family had died.

Iqbal Khan posed the question while trying to clarify with the State prosecutors on how the DNA of the accused, Muhammad Raheesh Isoof, was obtained.

Mr Khan asked if the family members had died through homicide, black magic or poison?

He also told the court that Isoof’s DNA was taken without consent.

“I need that information,” Mr Khan said.

Isoof is facing five counts of murder.

Justice Thushara Rajasinghe is presiding over the three-week long trial, which will start today at the High Court in Lautoka.

Justice Rajasinghe, following Mr Khan’s requests, said no one was above the law and referred to the Fiji Constitution under the Bill of Rights.

Mr Babitu told the court that the State would be presenting the first 26 witnesses in trial. There are 65 witnesses.

Their deceased daughter Nileshni Kajal and her two daughters Sana and Samara.

Deceased parents: Nirmal Kumar and his wife Usha Devi.

Presentations:

The State prosecutors are Mr Babitu, Taitusi Tuenuku and Prenika Lata from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The defence is made up of Mr Khan and Degei Sadrata, from Iqbal Khan and Associates.

The charge:

It is alleged that Isoof, between August 25 and August 26 in 2019, murdered Nirmal Kumar, 63, his wife Usha Devi, 54, their daughter Nileshni Kajal, 34, and Ms Kajal’s daughters Sanah Singh, 11, Samarah Singh, 8, of Legalega, Nadi.

He is also charged with one count of attempted murder of Samaira Kumar, who was found abandoned near the bodies of five deceased persons at the Nausori Highlands.

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