Courtesy urban_lenny

A trial that captured national attention heard closing remarks from the lawyer for Mohammad Shafia on Tuesday morning in Kingston, Ont., where Peter Kemp outlined multiple reasons why his client should not be found guilty.

Kemp said that the timeline presented by the prosecution for the alleged crime would not have been possible, CBCNews reported Tuesday.

Kemp argued that the prosecution’s assertion that Shafia's first wife, Rona Amir Mohammad, 52, was beaten and abused by Shafia were not true. Kemp showed a photo of Mohammad dressed and wearing jewelry as evidence that she lived "a comfortable, high life of fashion, warmth and jewellery," the Toronto Sun reported.

CTV reported that Kemp used the wiretaps of his client as evidence that he was innocent, saying that his client was angry and upset after having seen pictures of his children after they had died. 

Shafia, 58, along with his wife and son are each accused of four counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Mohammad, as well as Zainab Shafia, 19, Sahar Shafia, 17, and Geeti Shafia, 13.

The four women were found drowned inside a car in June 2009 in the Rideau Canal near Kingston. The family was returning to their home in Montreal after a trip to Niagara Falls. 

The prosecution asserts it was an honour killing while the defense contends it was a simple accident. 

The trial has taken over 10 weeks and seen 53 witnesses and 163 pieces of evidence. There has been testimony from teachers, friends, police and even two of the accused.   

With little physical evidence and no definitive proof of whether the women were drowned before or after the car hit the water it will be a tough decision by the 12 jurors. 

The defense lawyers for the other two accused will be heard later today with the prosecution giving their closing remarks Wednesday. After that Ontario Superior Court Judge Robert Maranger will give instructions to the jury for their final decision.

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