Mixed reaction for murder sentence

Community response to the verdict delivered to the five accused men in the murder of Manurewa liquor storeowner Navtej Singh has been varied, with some saying that the punishment did not match the crime.

Twenty-one-year old Anitelea Chan Kee gunned down Navtej at his shop on June 7, 2008. He died in hospital the next day.

His associates, Myron Felise (22), Tino Felise (21), Eti Filoa (25), Walter McCarthy (19) and Jason Naseri (21) were declared not guilty of murder or manslaughter. But Tino, Felise and Filoa were found guilty of aggravated robbery at the store.

The Auckland High Court sentenced Anitelea to a minimum prison term of 17 years.

Myron was sentenced to six years, Jason for six years and four months and Tino for five years for their roles in the robbery. Walter was jailed for two years six months and Eti for four years and four months.

Supreme Council of New Zealand Chairman, New Zealand Sikh Society Auckland Inc Spokesperson and Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) National Immigration Advisory Coordinator Daljit Singh said the family expressed relief at the conclusion of the case.

“We are pleased with the restorative justice done in this case. Members of the Navtej family and we in the community are happy with the sentences handed out to the accused in the murder,” he said.

Mr Singh and his colleagues at the New Zealand Sikh Society Auckland Ranvir Lali Singh, Manpreet Singh and Rajinder Singh led a peaceful campaign against growing crime in Manukau City and mobilised financial assistance for the grieving family of Navtej. The victim left behind his young wife Harjinder Kaur and their three daughters Harkirat, Navnoor (who were then 5½ and 3½ years old) and Harroop, then just six months old.

GOPIO Acting National President Satish Sharma was ‘generally satisfied.’

“We await the report of the Independent Police Conduct Authority surrounding the alleged delay in allowing the ambulance officer to attend to Navtej as he lay down with the gunshot wound,” he said.

Auckland businessman Ram Rai said he was disappointed with the outcome of the trial. “In my view, each of the accused was guilty of murder and deserved to be put away for life. The co-accused got away too lightly,” he said.

Former Auckland Telugu Association President Venugopal Reddy Beeram was pleased with the judgement but was grieved that the life of Navtej’s wife was destroyed.

“But I am not happy with the sentence period given to other offenders as they will come out within two years and reoffend. We have to think about our jury system seriously,” he said.

IBA 2010 Marketing Coordinator and ACG Teacher Manish Tanna said, while the case has ended in the courtroom, the Navtej family would be experiencing the tragedy for long. “We can feel a sense of redemption on the fact that the wrongdoing has been penalised by the maximum sentencing possible in the circumstances. One hopes it will result in prevention of future crimes,” he said.

The picture here shows Tino Felise (left), Eti Filoa, Walter McCarthy, Jason Naseri, Myron Felise and Anitilea Chan Kee appearing for sentence for their various convictions of the armed robbery and murder of Manurewa liquor store owner, Navtej Singh at the Auckland High on May 7, 2010.

Photo Credit: NZPA/ David Rowland.