NSW: Man jailed for nurse's murder maintains his innocence

AAP General News (Australia)
04-27-2007
NSW: Man jailed for nurse's murder maintains his innocence

SYDNEY, April 27 AAP - A man sentenced to 20 years' jail today for murdering a Sydney
nurse could be innocent, his lawyer has told the Supreme Court.

Earlier this year a jury found Madappa Kaliyanda guilty of murdering nurse Asha Khanna
in August 1997.

Her decomposed body, wrapped in plastic bags, was discovered in her unit at Liverpool,
in Sydney's southwest, more than two weeks after she was last seen alive.

The 50-year-old had been smothered or strangled, and more than $13,000 was drained
from her bank account before her body was discovered.

Justice Michael Grove sentenced Kaliyanda to a maximum 20 years behind bars, saying:
"In harmony with the verdict, I find that you were her killer."

However, he acknowledged that Kaliyanda disputed the guilty verdict, maintaining that
police had arrested the wrong person.

Moments after the sentence was delivered, Kaliyanda's lawyer Clive Jeffreys handed
the judge a draft notice of appeal against conviction, on the grounds of a "miscarriage
of justice".

"This is a matter where there is a real possibility that an innocent man has been found
guilty," Mr Jeffreys said.

He asked the judge for a certificate declaring that the case was fit for appeal, but
Justice Grove refused to grant one.

The judge said he had "made a conscious effort during the trial not to form an opinion
one way or the other" on Kaliyanda's guilt or innocence.

"That was the jury's function, not mine," Justice Grove said.

Kaliyanda must serve at least 14 years in prison and will be eligible for parole in 2021.

AAP ka/wjf/cjh/mn

KEYWORD: KALIYANDA

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