Hon Phil Goff
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Draft Media Statement

24 February 2003

Goff welcomes verdicts in Routley murder case

Foreign Minister Phil Goff today welcomed the guilty verdict handed down to a man accused of murdering New Zealander Diana Routley in India in 1997.

"I am relieved that the case has finally ended, and that the ring leader of the gang accused of killing Diana has been found guilty. I hope that this now means that justice has finally been done," said Mr Goff.

The District Court in Varanasi, which has been hearing the case since April 1999, found Dharam Dev Yadav guilty of murder but acquitted Kalicharan Yadav, Ram Karan Chauhan and Sindhu Harijan. Dharam Dev Yadav had confessed four years ago to the killing. He is due to be sentenced later today.

"It was an unacceptably long trial which delayed closure for the Routley family and added to the trauma they suffered through the tragic loss of their daughter. I hope today's verdict will come as some measure of relief to the Routleys and Diana's friends."

ENDS

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