Sakina Muhammad Jan has been sentenced to a minimum of 12 months in jail for coercing her daughter, Ruqia Haidari, into a forced marriage that ended in Haidari’s tragic murder. This case marks the first instance in Australia where someone has been convicted under laws specifically targeting forced marriage.
In November 2019, Sakina Jan coerced her daughter Ruqia Haidari into marrying Mohammad Ali Halimi, despite Haidari’s objections. The Daily Aus reported that Haidari’s family, who had fled Afghanistan in 2013, resettled in Shepparton, Victoria. In mid-2019, during her final year of school, Haidari was introduced to Halimi through a family acquaintance. Despite Haidari’s reluctance, her mother arranged the marriage, and the couple subsequently relocated to Perth.
Tragic Outcome
The marriage lasted only six weeks before Halimi murdered Haidari by slashing her throat with a kitchen knife in their Perth home. According to ABC News, Halimi was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 19 years by a Western Australian court.
Mother’s Arrest and Sentencing
Jan was arrested in October 2020, about ten months following her daughter’s murder. The Victorian court heard from several witnesses, including Haidari’s driving instructor and school teacher, who testified that Haidari had been opposed to the marriage. Evidence revealed that Jan had applied severe pressure on Haidari, threatening her with eviction from the family home if she refused the marriage.
Further, it was disclosed that Halimi had paid Jan and her family $15,000 for the marriage. Despite Jan’s claims of being heartbroken over her daughter’s death, Judge Fran Dalziel emphasized the abuse of Jan’s maternal authority.
Details of the Murder
In January 2020, Halimi, 26, used a kitchen knife to fatally wound Haidari at their residence in Balcatta. Prior to the murder, Halimi recorded himself on his mobile phone, expressing dissatisfaction with Haidari’s household duties.
The court heard that Haidari had struggled with a deep lack of attraction toward Halimi, leading to frequent arguments between them. She had consistently rejected his advances, which only intensified their conflicts.
On the day of the murder, their argument reached a peak, with Haidari demanding that Halimi leave her alone. Fueled by anger and frustration, Halimi called Haidari’s brother, expressing his disappointment and frustration over the lack of affection.
Moments later, he called again, coldly instructing her brother to come and collect her body. Overcome with guilt and shock, Halimi went to the Mirrabooka police station, his clothes stained with blood, and admitted to the horrific act.
Legal Proceedings
In a video-recorded police interview, Halimi openly acknowledged that he knew Haidari had been forced into the marriage. He later told the court that it was only after his arrest that he came to fully understand her true feelings. Halimi’s defense lawyer, Seamus Rafferty, attributed his client’s actions to a troubled childhood and underlying psychological issues.
Justice Bruno Fiannaca described the murder as an extreme act of violence stemming from a fundamentally flawed and unhappy relationship. He dismissed Halimi’s claims of being unaware of Haidari’s true feelings, emphasizing that Halimi had been aware of the coercion from the very beginning.
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