The murder trial of a couple accused of killing their daughter’s 18-year-old boyfriend, Jeet Singh, at their home in Sigatoka began this week at the Lautoka High Court; where the court heard from the daughter, Farnaaz Nisha, that her parents dragged Singh onto the porch, where he was allegedly assaulted and threatened with a dagger.
Mohammed Naushad and his wife, Nazreen Nisha Khan, are jointly charged with murder.
Naushad also faces an additional charge of criminal intimidation.
It is alleged that Singh was restrained using rope and cable ties before the accused forced him to ingest a sugarcane pesticide, resulting in his death.
Giving evidence in court, Nisha said she and Singh were in a relationship and had been meeting secretly because her parents disapproved of their relationship.
She said that on 30th June 2022, the day of the alleged offence, her parents discovered the deceased inside her bedroom and dragged him onto the porch, where they allegedly assaulted and threatened him with a dagger.
The court further heard that Nisha was also allegedly threatened with a dagger and instructed to remain inside her bedroom while her parents restrained the deceased and allegedly forced him to ingest the pesticide.
Nisha told the court that she overheard the incident, including the victim’s screams, and later saw him lying motionless on the porch as she attempted to escape from the house.
The court heard that Nisha used the deceased’s phone to contact police before running outside.
She also contacted the victim’s grandfather, who advised her to wait near a community church. The victim’s father later met her at the church, where she informed him of what had occurred.
The matter was subsequently reported to the Vatudradra Police Post, leading to a police investigation.
Police later discovered Singh’s body in a drain near the his home, where he was subsequently identified by his family.
The State is expected to call a total of 29 witnesses during the trial, including a 919 emergency line operator, police officers from the Sigatoka Police Station who attended the scene, members of the Singh’s family, and forensic personnel.
The trial continues in the Lautoka High Court next week and is expected to conclude on 2nd October 2026.
