The Major Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department is currently delving into a letter written by Muhammad Raheesh Isoof, who is serving a life sentence for the murder of five family members in Fiji’s Nausori Highlands in 2019. Isoof’s letter claims that an inmate has confessed to him, asserting that he was responsible for the murders.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Crime, Mesake Waqa, confirmed that the investigation is active, following the receipt of this information. Isoof, convicted in 2022 for the murders of Nirmal Kumar, his wife Usha Devi, their daughter Nileshni Kajal, and Kajal’s two daughters, Sanah and Samarah Singh, had sought to appeal his conviction based on this new development. According to reports, an unnamed inmate has filed a sworn affidavit stating he witnessed the murders and claims involvement in the crime, suggesting that Isoof was innocent. The affidavit also alludes to possible involvement by certain police officers in planning the murders.
During the trial, prosecutors painted Isoof, a former bus driver from Christchurch, as a “witch doctor,” alleging he manipulated the victims into consuming pesticide during a ritual that ultimately led to their deaths. Isoof has consistently denied the accusations, claiming he merely dropped the family off at a picnic site. Despite his conviction and a mandated minimum non-parole period of 20 years, the latest revelations have instigated renewed interest in his case.
Isoof’s legal team is urging the Fiji Court of Appeal to expedite their review of the case, emphasizing the potential implications of the new evidence. Legal experts are closely watching the situation, highlighting the case’s relevance to issues of wrongful conviction and the need for integrity in eyewitness testimony in judicial processes.
As this unsettling situation unfolds, there is a growing hope that justice may be served, illuminating the importance of sincere investigations that could right judicial errors and reinforce public trust in the legal system. The fresh claims could pave the way for a careful reassessment of the case, with advocates for justice expressing optimism that the truth will ultimately emerge.
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