Friday, November 12, 2010

Family of River Cree murder victim awaits verdict

Trial marred by missing witnesses and shaky testimony

The family of Mohamed Ali Ibrahim must wait until Nov. 26 to hear the fate of two men accused in the Somali-Canadian’s murder.

Ibrahim, 24, was gunned down two years ago outside the River Cree Casino just west of Edmonton.

Wednesday, the second-degree murder trial of Alexander Reid and Adam Michael Brown wrapped up with final arguments.

The Crown said the shooting death of Mohammed Ibrahim was payback for a bar fight.

But during the trial, witnesses went missing, changed their testimony or claimed their lives were threatened.
One witness told police after the shooting, that Brown told him, "We shot the guys. They had to get done in."

But on the stand, the witness changed his story, testifying he didn't remember Brown saying that at all.

The defence argued the Crown’s case fell woefully short of proof beyond a reasonable doubt; that it relied on someone who recanted his statement; and there was no evidence there were two shooters that night.

Ibrahim's sister Muna sat through the trial.

She said it's important to see justice done.

“It is my brother," she said. "Family is very important to me. With my brother, he protected me my whole life.”

“Unfortunately in his time of need nobody was there for him, so we're just following up and making sure that justice is served.”

Ibrahim’s is the first case to go to trial in a string of murders of young Somali men in Edmonton.

The trial is important for the Somali Community. Many will be anxious until the verdict is delivered.

"It will be tense moment if we're thinking what the judge will see and what he has to believe," said Mahamad Accord, with the Somali Community Centre. "I'm hoping that this mother and sister and others will get their justice.

Source: www.cbc.ca

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