Mohammad Shafia, a Muslim father from Ontario, Canada, was charged with murdering his three daughters in apparent honour killings has said he would do it again – even if they came back to life 100 times.
Mohammad Shafia, 58, cursed his daughters Zainab, 19, Sahar, 17, and Geeti, 13, saying they were “treacherous” as he likened them to prostitutes during a conversation that was recorded by police.
The father is on trial for his daughters’ murders after they were found dead in the family car along with his first wife, Rona Amir, 50, in the Rideau Canal, located in the Kingston area of Ontario in Canada in 2009.
Initially police thought the family had been involved in an accident and Mohammad Shafia told them during an interview that he didn’t know where they were.
However, Mohammad Shafia version of accounts did not add up and he was arrested and charged with their murder.
Mohammad Shafia, who moved to Canada from Afghanistan with his family, is polygamous and after his arrest was heard telling his second wife, Tooba Yahya, that their daughters had brought shame on the family.
Mohammad Shafia said one day after his arrest: “Even if, God forbid, they hoist us on to the gallows… we accept it wholeheartedly.“
The court heard the recordings in which Mohammad Shafia talks about his daughters and the fact that they were dating while ranting about the family’s honour.
Zainab had married her boyfriend – a Pakistani man – angering her father and causing family turmoil.
After Tooba Yahya said that she knew Zainab was “already done” but wished “the two others” weren’t, Mohammad Shafia responded saying: “No Tooba, they were treacherous.”
Tooba Yahya, 41, and their son, Hamed, 20, are both on trial with him facing charges of first-degree murder. Hamed has denied even being at the death scene. All three have pleaded not guilty to murder.
Speaking about pictures of his daughter Mohammad Shafia said he was consoled adding:
“No Tooba, they were treacherous. When I tell you to be patient, you tell me that it is hard.
“It isn’t harder than watching them every hour with (boyfriends). For this reason whenever I see those pictures, I am consoled.
“I say to myself, <<You did well. Would they come back to life a hundred times, for you to do the same again>>.”
Mohammad Shafia also says that the family had been violated in the worst possible way.
“May the devil…(defecate) on their graves. Is that what a daughter should be? Would (a daughter) be such a whore?”
The jury has also seen graphic underwater video in which a pair of legs can be seen in the murky water.
One of the victims’ heads can be seen facing down with hair obscuring her face, according to the Canadian Press, while blankets, a yellow bag, a body and victim’s hand are visible on the passenger side.
There was nobody sat in the driver’s seat.
Mohammad Shaifa’s first wife Rona and Sahar were seen on the back seat, their heads touching.
One of the windows was open on the car, but it appears that no attempts had been made by any of the victims to escape from the vehicle.
The family was returning from a trip to Niagara Falls when it ended up in the canal and all the victims were found to have drowned.
However, prosecutors don’t know if it was in the canal or elsewhere. Three of them had bruising to the back of their heads.
Mohammad Shafia and Tooba Yahya had seven children in total. The three not involved in the court case were placed in care after their parents were arrested. The trial continues.
