Opening statements have yet to be made and the first witness yet to be called after Day 3 of a high-profile Burnaby murder trial underway in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver.
Ibrahim Ali is on trial for first-degree murder in the death of a 13-year-old girl, whose body was found in Burnaby’s Central Park in July 2017.
The victim in the case can't be identified because of a publication ban.
Ali pleaded not guilty to the charge on the first day of the trial on April 5, and the Crown was expected to make its opening statement the following day, but Ali was not in court.
Justice Lance Bernard sent the jury home until Tuesday, when the Crown was again expected to open its case, but the jury was sent home again until 2 p.m. Wednesday.
No information about the delays can be made public because of a publication ban.
“Despite best efforts to keep this matter moving forward, things have arisen that had to be dealt with in your absence,” Bernard told the jury.
He said there was nothing he could do about the situation other than apologize and ask for their patience.
“This is the sort of thing that happens in these trials,” Bernard said to the jurors. “It’s not the sort of thing you see on TV. This is the sort of thing that happens in real life.”
The trial continues Wednesday.
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