"Big setback" in Groves murder trial

Tuesday 09 October 2018

The current Prosecutor is failing in his duty, according to Sarah Groves' father, after what's been described as a "big setback" in the trial of the man accused of murdering her.

Miss Groves father has released a statement following what seems like two wasted court days in Srinagar.

Yesterday was the 133rd scheduled hearing, but no progress was made as strikes in Kashmir, planned to coincide with the first stages of elections which meant there was a heavy police presence and a shut-down of internet services during the morning.

Mr de Wit, who denies murder, couldn't be taken to court.

Although one witness went to court both yesterday and today to give evidence in the trial, nothing happened today either.

Vic Groves said, "today has been a big setback. Following a period of some optimism about the trial, the unacceptable side of the Kashmiri system of justice showed itself once again."

He was particularly disappointed that even though the witness showed up again and other prisoners were taken to court, Mr de Wit wasn't.

Pictured: Sarah Groves' father, Vic (centre) and Miss Groves' mother, Kate (bottom right) met the Indian High Commissioner along with Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq earlier this year to try and speed up the trial process. 

While initially it was thought that fears of further civil unrest had prevented the transfer, no reason was ever give, leaving Mr Groves to claim that "the Prosecutor had once again failed in his primary duties."

Mr Groves said that it later turned out that the Governor of the Central Jail had not received any application for the transfer of Mr de Wit to court for today.

The judge was furious at the events of the day but the Prosecutor was not in court to hear his remarks, said Mr Groves, with a search party sent out to find him.

The Defence Counsel also expressed their strong dissatisfaction with the Prosecutor before the judge agreed to write to the appropriate department requesting a change of Prosecutor. 

Mr Groves said, "our legal advisor has been asked to express the same concerns to the judge on our behalf in order to add weight to that request."

He said that, "efforts have been made to record in the strongest possible terms our disgust at these latest developments. 

"Clearly, so many of the problems point to inadequacies on the Prosecution side.  The current Prosecutor seems totally unable to do his job properly – i.e. to prosecute the case against Richard de Wit.  We continue to press for his replacement."

Pictured top: Sarah Groves, who was killed in Kashmir in 2013, and Richard de Wit, who denies murdering her.