Woman Was Killed by Man Her Mom Had Forced Her to Marry — and Now the Mother Is Convicted
Prosecutors in Australia said Sakina Muhammad Jan forced her daughter to marry a man she didn't want to wed in November 2019, weeks before he killed her
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A mother was convicted of coercing her daughter to marry a man who later murdered the 20-year-old bride weeks after their wedding, according to multiple news reports.
After a two-week trial, a Victoria County jury in Australia found Sakina Muhammad Jan guilty of causing a person to enter into a forced marriage, ABC News Australia, The Sydney Morning Herald and 9News reported on May 23.
Prosecutors said Jan forced her daughter, Ruqia Haidari, to marry Mohammad Ali Halimi in November 2019 after paying him a $10,000 dowry, despite her daughter’s wishes not to marry him, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. Jan reportedly met with a matchmaker who arranged a first meeting between Haidari and Halimi in June 2019.
The outlet reports that Haidai expressed her concerns about getting married to Halimi to several people, including her teacher, counselor, two driving instructors and police. When Haidari told her mother that she did not want to get married, the mom insisted that she had the power to make decisions for her daughter, the jury heard during the trial, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
Following two Islamic ceremonies held to formalize the relationship, authorities said the pair were officially married in November 2019 and moved to a home in Perth, Australia, shortly after, ABC News Australia reported.
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In January 2020, authorities said Halimi killed Haidari in their home, according to 9News. While the murder was not mentioned to the jury during Jan’s trial, the outlet reported Halimi is separately serving a life sentence with a minimum of 19 years.
As for Jan, she remains free on bail while she awaits a pre-sentencing hearing in July, ABC News Australia reported.
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