Ibrahim Ali murder trial: Defence calls witness a liar during cross-examination

WARNING: This story mentions sexual assault, violence and suicide

A lawyer representing the man accused of killing a 13-year-old girl in Burnaby in 2017 accused a friend of the victim of being a liar on Friday.

Ibrahim Ali has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. The Crown's theory of the case, which has not been proven, is that the teen was strangled during a sexual assault after being grabbed from a trail in Burnaby's Central Park. 

During cross-examination, Ali's lawyer, Kevin McCullough, attacked portions of the witness’s testimony from Thursday when the Crown had its turn to ask questions.

CTV News will not be naming the woman, now 19-years-old, to protect the identity of the victim whose identity is covered by a publication ban.

On Thursday the witness told the court she was a close friend of the girl, and that she was acting normal when she saw her the morning of July 18, 2017, the day before she was found dead at Burnaby’s Central Park.

However, McCullough brought up a lengthy statement the friend gave to investigators on July 20.

He said that within the statement, the witness told police she had asked the girl “What’s wrong?" multiple times on the 18th.

The witness said that her English wasn’t very good at the time, and that she may have been “erroneous.”

At one point, after one of the Crown's several objections, a visibly frustrated McCullough said “It's cross-examination Mr. Justice.”

“I’m calling this witness a liar,” he added.

Justice Lance Bernard, who had several heated exchanges with McCullough throughout the day, told him to be respectful.

“Everyone who is before the court is deserving of respect,” he said.

“It is not for you or anyone else to accuse the witness of being a liar,” he continued.

Later in the day, McCullough, referring to the statement again, says the witness told investigators that the girl claimed she had previously attempted suicide.

“She told you she tried to kill herself because her parents were divorcing and she wasn’t successful.”

The statement was quickly met with an objection by the Crown before the witness could answer.

Speaking to the objection, Bernard said, “I think I should probably address this in the absence of the jury.”

All conversations had without the jury in this trial cannot be reported due to a publication ban.

McCullough asked a few more questions before the proceedings finished for the day.

The friend is expected to return for a second day of cross-examination Monday.