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More trial delays for man charged with Okanagan Correctional Centre assaults

Afshin Ighani is facing several charges related to a string of assaults while behind bars
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Afshin Maleki Ighani, has faced several delays in two separate trials. (Western News file photo)

The trial for a man facing several charges related to assaults that occurred within the Okanagan Correctional Centre has been delayed again.

READ MORE: Man accused of yet another violent incident at Okanagan jail

Afshin Ighani is facing two counts of assault with a weapon and assault causing bodily harm and a single count of assaulting a peace officer. Ighani allegedly stabbed another inmate, David James McHale, who is a convicted child molestor, with a sharp shank. He is also alleged to have assaulted Peter Beckett, who was found guilty for the murder of his wife at a lake near Revelstoke.

Last Monday, Ighani appeared in Penticton Supreme Court where Crown counsel was pushing for the trial to begin as scheduled since the charges stem from 2017.

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Ighani, who has been representing himself after dismissing at least two lawyers that had been appointed to him, was to return to court on Sept. 23 ready for trial or with information about who will represent him. Ighani expressed difficulties in obtaining legal aid to have a lawyer appointed to him. Justice Gary Weatherill gave Ighani the necessary paperwork to ensure he gets a court appointed lawyer even after all legal aid appeals have been exhausted.

Ighani is also in the middle of another trial where he is facing 10 charges related to an alleged armed kidnapping in April of 2017. Both of these will be back before the court on Oct. 21.

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

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