An Irishman whose partner was brutally murdered in India has blasted its “bizarre” legal system after the men accused of killing her failed to show up for court.
Dubliner Andrew Jordan travelled to Kerala to see the two suspects stand trial for the killing of Liga Skromane but the case has been adjourned for two months.
Latvian Liga, 33, who lived in Ireland for five years before her death, went missing on March 14, 2018 after travelling to a wellness retreat with her sister Ilze.
Her decapitated body was found hanging from a tree at a mangrove forest close to a popular beach at Kovalam on April 21.
Two men, Udayan, 24, and 28-year-old Umesh, who only use one name, were arrested last May and charged and bailed to appear in court on April 11.
Andrew flew to India for the hearing last week but said he was left dumbfounded when the men’s lawyers confirmed they were not in attendance.
He told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “I wasted my time going over and now I will have to try to get back for the hearing on June 12. Both defence lawyers immediately asked for a postponement and got it.
“Under their law they are allowed one adjournment without having to give a reason. The more they delay this the more I am convinced they are messing around. Why were they given bail in the first place?
“According to police these guys are career offenders. They are known criminals and known sex offenders.
“They shouldn’t have been let back on to the streets.
“They shouldn’t have been freed in the first place. There are a lot of cases of children disappearing and being raped and killed in that area.
“There’s a gang doing this and there doesn’t seem to be any interest or urgency from police in stopping them.”
Partner of innocent Liga Skromane says he will stop at nothing to reveal the truth behind her murder
