27 Mar 2015

Victim's family: 'Evil criminals' held to account

5:47 pm on 27 March 2015

Evil criminals have finally been held accountable for the "malicious" murder of Auckland man Shalvin Prasad, his family says.

Pravin Prasad, the brother of the victim, talking with media outside the High Court in Auckland.

Pravin Prasad, the brother of the victim, talking with media outside the High Court in Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski

Shivneel Kumar and Bryne Permal have been found guilty of murdering Mr Prasad, whose body was found in scorched scrub in Kingseat in January 2013.

Shalvin Prasad

Shalvin Prasad Photo: Supplied / NZ Police

Outside the High Court in Auckland this afternoon, Mr Prasad's brother Pravin Prasad said the verdicts gave the family some closure.

"We feel today that the decision finally holds these evil criminals accountable for the malicious death of my brother Shalvin Prasad.

"I would like to thank the jury for the time and effort that they have dedicated for the past four weeks, they have done a tremendous job considering the nasty details they had to sit through in order to come up with a verdict today."

The Crown had said Mr Prasad was killed for the $30,000 he had withdrawn from his bank accounts. Jurors were shown CCTV of Permal buying petrol and a lighter, and of both men on a spending spree in the days after the death.

The defence had said there was a vacuum of evidence, and nothing to show an intentionally murderous injury to Mr Prasad.

Kumar, 20, and Permal, 22, had both denied murder.

The families of both Mr Prasad and Permal wept as the verdicts were read out in the court.

Justice Venning said the case had been difficult and demanding for jurors because of the awful way Mr Prasad was killed.

Kumar and Permal will be sentenced on 7 May.

Shivneel Kumar (left) and Bryne Permal (far right) in Auckland High Court.

Shivneel Kumar (left) and Bryne Permal (far right) in the High Court in Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski

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