Margao: The District and Sessions Court, Margao, will pronounce the verdict on Thursday in connection with the rape and murder case of 28-year-old Irish-British national Danielle McLaughlin, whose body was found in Canacona village of South Goa in 2017.
The local police have accused Vikat Bhagat, a youth from Canacona, on several counts, including raping and murdering the victim after attending a Holi party.
Vikram Varma, the lawyer representing the victim’s mother, Andrea Brannigan, said that the District and Sessions Court in Margao will pronounce the judgment on Thursday afternoon.
He said that the case came up for hearing on Wednesday, during which the accused was informed through video conferencing that the judgment will be delivered on Thursday.
The accused is currently imprisoned at the central jail, Colvale, in North Goa.
The body of the victim was found in a forested area of Canacona on January 14, 2017.
When asked, Varma said that the family members of the victim are hopeful that justice would be served. “The girl died a brutal death. We are hopeful that justice will be done, but you cannot know the mind of the judge unless the verdict is delivered,” he said.
The lawyer mentioned that during the trial, the prosecution had presented enough evidence against the accused. He explained that in the case of rape, direct evidence can be gathered if the victim is alive. However, since she is deceased, the prosecution has based its case on circumstantial evidence.
