Murder case against Ibrahim Alahmad of St. John's delayed until March 27
Despite having his case called three times in the last five days, accused murderer Ibrahim Alahmad of St. John's has not yet uttered a single word — in English or Arabic — and will now have two weeks to consider his legal options before his next appearance at provincial court.
The 36-year-old originally from Syria appeared by telephone Tuesday afternoon before Judge Harold Porter, with an interpreter translating the proceedings for Alahmad.
Porter agreed to a request from Legal Aid lawyer Dan Furey that the matter be set over until March 27 to allow the accused more time to retain and instruct a defence counsel.
Alahmad is hospitalized but remains in custody and under constant guard. Like his previous court appearances on Thursday and Monday, a corrections officer co-ordinated the phone call with the court, while Alahmad remained silent.
Furey has previously told the court not to expect Alahmad to have anything to say.
Crown lawyer Alison Doyle agreed to the request for a two-week postponement.
Furey said Alahmad met with Mark Gruchy, another Legal Aid lawyer, on Tuesday morning.
Alahmad is charged with kidnapping his wife on the morning of March 5 from their Virginia Park neighbourhood in St. John's, and taking her to Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove, where police allege he murdered her in an abandoned house.
A witness has told CBC News that a blood-soaked man matching Alahmad's description was seen on the same secluded street that morning with injuries to his neck and wrist.
Alahmad was already facing multiple charges of assault, forcible confinement and uttering death threats, was under a court order to stay away from his wife and five children, and was released from custody twice since mid-December.
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