At Thursday's press conference some media members wondered whether a municipal police force like the Delta Police Department would have the resources to handle the Panghali murder case.
Delta Police spokesperson Constable Sharlene Brooks told them that the department could and would utilize the services of other forces when necessary.
Indo-Canadians can have full confidence in the Delta Police to carry out a thorough and competent investigation.
Their professionalism shone out in the 2001 Gary Sidhu murder case when they successfully prosecuted his killers.
With the April 2004 first degree convictions, Delta Police Chief Constable Jim Cessford said: "A violent crime that struck fear into the citizens of a North Delta community has come to a successful conclusion. The homicide of Gary Sidhu lead investigators through a complex investigation involving a variety of investigative techniques, witness protection and extensive impact on budgets and resources (enlisting the assistance from the front line, civilian staff, up to and including the Management Team) of the Delta Police Department.
"Investigators are pleased with the outcome of this investigation. There is a sense of satisfaction knowing those directly responsible for the homicide have been held accountable before the courts."
A BC Supreme Court jury found Gurkirpal Singh Khela, Jodh Singh Sahota and Trevor James Meir guilty of the first degree murder in the April 1, 2002 shooting death of the North Delta teacher Gary Sidhu. A fourth person, John David Bride, 24, had already pleaded guilty in the case and got an automatic life sentence with no parole eligibility for 25 years.
Prosecutor Marian Brown had told the jury that she would be presenting evidence that would show that Khela organized the murder. With the help of Sahota, he hired Meir and Bride to shoot Sidhu, who feared for his life after his friend Sarbjit Dhanda shot to death his rival Kambir Singh Jawanda outside Dhanda's house in Richmond during a gang-revenge killing spree in the Lower Mainland in 2001.
All received life sentences with no parole for 25 years.
However, investigators weren't satisfied with that and have been working on the investigation because it is their belief that the individual that ordered the contract killing of Sidhu is still at large.
Focus Immigration specializes in Skilled Worker, Spouse Sponsorship, Parents & Grandparents Sponsorship, Business Immigration, Work Permits, Study Permit & PNP for BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia. Visit our website.
