Defence delivers closing arguments in Ibrahim Ali murder trial

Some shocking statements were made in the closing arguments of Ibrahim Ali’s murder trial on Friday, as he stands accused in the killing of a 13-year-old Burnaby girl in 2017.

In his delivery, Ali’s lawyer, Kevin McCullough, disputed the “innocent” portrayal of the victim by Crown prosecutors, saying the depiction was “rose-coloured” throughout the trial.

He argued the version of the girl’s lifestyle presented by the Crown is “at best, a partial picture” and “at worst, a lie.”

The body of the child, whose name is covered by a publication ban, was found in Burnaby’s Central Park in July 2017, hours after her mother reported her missing.

McCullough says the only evidence they have against Ali is his semen, found inside the girl’s body, adding the Crown has come up with a “crazy theory” where no one saw or heard anything connecting Ali to the murder.

Crown attorney Daniel Porte delivered his closing arguments Thursday, saying it had been proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Ali dragged the girl into a wooded area of the park, sexually assaulted her, and then killed her.

Ali pleaded not guilty in April to murdering the child.

The jury heard from about four dozen Crown witnesses over the course of the almost nine-month trial, including police, civilians, and experts who said the girl was sexually assaulted and strangled, and that Ali’s DNA was found inside her body.

McCullough told the jury last week that they would not be calling any evidence in defence of the allegations because the Crown hadn’t proved its case against Ali.

The judge told the jury Thursday he expects to give them his final instructions next week before members begin their deliberations.