A man accused of trying to murder his sister in an “attempted honour killing” has pleaded not guilty and will stand trial with the rest of his family.
Key points:
A 21-year-old woman was allegedly stabbed several times at a shopping centre car park in November
Five members of her family are charged with attempted murder and false imprisonment
Her brother has now joined the other family members in pleading not guilty
The man’s sister was allegedly held down and stabbed several times in the abdomen with a large kitchen knife at the Sefton Plaza Shopping Centre car park, in Adelaide’s north-eastern suburbs, last November.
The 21-year-old suffered a perforated kidney, lacerated liver and significant internal bleeding.
The court has previously heard that the woman had an arranged marriage with her cousin, but her family had become aware that she had started a relationship with a man of a different faith.
A prosecutor previously told the court the matter could most appropriately be described as an “attempted honour killing”.
Five members of the woman’s family were charged with attempted murder and false imprisonment.
Four family members, including her parents and sister pleaded not guilty to the charges during a hearing last month.
Her brother had previously been pursuing an application that he had no case to answer.
But on Tuesday he instead pleaded not guilty in the Adelaide Magistrates Court to the attempted murder of his sister and threatening to kill her boyfriend.
They have been ordered to stand trial and will face the Supreme Court in November.
