India - Sarah Groves, 24, British backpacker, murdered on houseboat, Srinagar, 6 April 2013 *Dutch tourist arrested*

[OkieGranny]

http://jerseyeveningpost.com/news/2017/05/04/woman-suffered-45-stab-wounds-murder-trial-hears/

A Guernsey woman killed on a houseboat in India four years ago suffered 45 stab wounds, a court has heard...

This week’s evidence was the first to be heard since September 2015...

Prosecutors also claimed that Mr de Wit had purchased a knife identical to the one allegedly used in the attack just two days before the killing.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Big new update on the FB page, a new legal team and a tougher judge hopefully means less faffing about.

The 101st hearing is in a couple of weeks

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1058391187584576&id=533797416710625

 

[JerseyGirl]

Father of British backpacker, 24, murdered in India blasts her foreign trial as a 'disgrace' after learning crucial crime scene footage was 'washed away in floods'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ish-woman-killed-India-slam-trial-delays.html

 

[JerseyGirl]

Further delays in Sarah Groves murder trial

The murder trial of Guernsey woman Sarah Groves has faced further delays due to the non-attendance of witnesses.

Sarah’s father Vic Groves said the Prosecutor should be replaced and described him as ‘totally ineffective’ after he failed to produce three witnesses, despite orders from the judge.

Today’s was the 123rd scheduled hearing in the trial.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Further delays in Sarah Groves murder trial

The murder trial of Guernsey woman Sarah Groves has faced further delays due to the non-attendance of witnesses.

Sarah’s father Vic Groves said the Prosecutor should be replaced and described him as ‘totally ineffective’ after he failed to produce three witnesses, despite orders from the judge.

Today’s was the 123rd scheduled hearing in the trial.

It's just awful, how can anyone put her parents through 123 hearings and counting?
Hopefully their meeting with the Indian High Commissioner will get things moving.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

The 150th court appearance is scheduled for next week - Monday 11th

 

[JerseyGirl]

Her father Vic said the future of the trial was now uncertain.

Dutch national Richard de Wit has denied murdering Miss Groves in a trial which has faced constant delays.

India's government has revoked part of the constitution that gives Indian-administered Kashmir special status.

Mr Groves described it as "another obstacle to achieving a safe outcome" to a trial that has been delayed for several reasons, including civil unrest, missing witnesses, and a defendant lacking legal representation.

Dad fears for Kashmir death Briton's murder trial

 

[CoverMeCagney]

@JerseyGirl do we know if De Wit has been kept imprisoned all these years? Or has he had to stay in India? Or has he flown back for court appearances (expensive!)?

 

[JerseyGirl]

@JerseyGirl do we know if De Wit has been kept imprisoned all these years? Or has he had to stay in India? Or has he flown back for court appearances (expensive!)?

I believe he is still imprisoned.

Jim Fisher True Crime: The Richard De Wit Murder Case

 

[CoverMeCagney]

I believe he is still imprisoned.

Jim Fisher True Crime: The Richard De Wit Murder Case

Good synopsis. Did you see the comment at the bottom implying that Sarah's boyfriend is the real culprit?

 

[Al Ka]

Good synopsis. Did you see the comment at the bottom implying that Sarah's boyfriend is the real culprit?

From the article:

Sarah Grove's parents, in the spring of 2015, publicly expressed concerns that the authorities, in going after Mr. De Wit, had targeted the wrong man. They characterized the aborted De Wit trial as a farce, and indicated that they suspected the victim's boyfriend, Saeed Shoda. According to the victim's parents, the police had badly mishandled the murder investigation.
===

If De Wit might be allegedly innocent, why did he fled?

But then again why did her boyfriend left her whole weekend alone if she was visiting him in his own country?

 

[Joolz1975]

Thanks for the link to this thread Cags, I remember this happening.

Cant believe all these years later her family have not got justice.

 

[Alyce]

I also remember when this murder took place....totally appalled that there is still no justice for Sarah and her family.

 

[Kubirai]

From the article:

Sarah Grove's parents, in the spring of 2015, publicly expressed concerns that the authorities, in going after Mr. De Wit, had targeted the wrong man. They characterized the aborted De Wit trial as a farce, and indicated that they suspected the victim's boyfriend, Saeed Shoda. According to the victim's parents, the police had badly mishandled the murder investigation.
===

If De Wit might be allegedly innocent, why did he fled?

But then again why did her boyfriend left her whole weekend alone if she was visiting him in his own country?

The local papers explained that the family of the boyfriend loved Sarah like a daughter, and wanted her to have her own private accommodation in their houseboat.

Sadly the "boyfriend did it" theory was circulated during Modi/BJP rise to power. If you search for "love jihad" in Indian MSM, you will see how many muslim youth are being lynched, some literally.

Trials take many years in India, and political influence often decide the outcome. I hope her parents don't participate in the acquital of the almost certain murderer.

He fled quickly with passport and $2500. It is possible that he wanted police to think he was robbed, killed, and drowned in the lake.

 

[JerseyGirl]

From Jan 2020:
Murdered backpacker’s parents will ‘never give up fight for justice’

The trial, which began in the summer of 2013, has been plagued by delays and this year just one of the 46 witnesses listed by the prosecution was able to complete their evidence. In 2019, there were 30 scheduled hearings but no progress was made in 26 of the sittings.

The 176th scheduled hearing was a familiar tale of no progress being made – this time because the judge was unable to attend.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

From Jan 2020:
Murdered backpacker’s parents will ‘never give up fight for justice’

The trial, which began in the summer of 2013, has been plagued by delays and this year just one of the 46 witnesses listed by the prosecution was able to complete their evidence. In 2019, there were 30 scheduled hearings but no progress was made in 26 of the sittings.

The 176th scheduled hearing was a familiar tale of no progress being made – this time because the judge was unable to attend.

I can't believe this is still going on with no progress whatsoever. Sarah's parents have stopped updating about every court hearing now, they're going to do quarterly updates instead.

 

[dotr]

So sad and so unfair, from 2019..
Backpacker Sarah Groves was stabbed to death in India. Will her distraught family ever get justice?

Sarah Groves (Image: Sunday Mirror)
The 24-year-old former fitness instructor had been stabbed 46 times.

''Dutch man Richard de Wit now stands trial for her murder - but there have been multiple delays and the trial has now seen over 150 hearings.''

 

[JerseyGirl]

https://www.outlookindia.com/national/the-murder-of-sarah-groves-in-srinagar-and-the-curious-case-of-accused-richar-de-wit-news-244972/amp

The trial of De Wit has been suspended. Lawyers who have been associated with the case say once the accused appears mentally fit, he will be put on trial again. The lawyers refuse to accept the accused’s assertion of a larger Dutch conspiracy in the case, calling it “nonsense”.