An Australian man who killed his pregnant wife and then put her body in a bath of acid has been sentenced to over 21 years in jail.
On Thursday, Dec. 19, Meraj Zafar, 23, appeared via video link in the Supreme Court in Sydney, where Justice Deborah Sweeney delivered the verdict, per the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
Zafar and Arnima Hayat, 19, married in a private Islamic ceremony in October 2021 without family or friends in attendance, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Hayat’s body, which had to be identified using DNA samples, was found just a few months later after Zafar killed her at their home in the Sydney suburb of North Parramatta on Jan. 29, 2022, according to the outlet.
After the murder, Zafar — who pleaded guilty in May — bought “five 20-litre tubs of acid over two trips,” which he put in the bath “in an attempt to dispose of Hayat’s remains,” the Sydney Morning Herald stated. The day after his wife’s death, he was reportedly seen on CCTV driving a truck to the home improvement store Bunnings Northmead, where he allegedly picked up the supplies.
Zafar has been sentenced to 21 years and six months, with a non-parole period of 16 years, 9News reported. He will be eligible for parole in 2038.
The court heard that the day before her death, the victim had texted a friend saying: “I have nobody except you,” to which the friend responded, “You have got no choice. You have to stay with him,” per the ABC.
Justice Sweeney said Zafar murdered his wife by “obstructing her breathing or smothering her” the day after she sent the message, according to the broadcasting company.
He reportedly googled “Can hydrochloric acid burn through skin?” multiple times, before purchasing the acid which he placed in the bath, per the outlet.
“He acted in such a way because of his anger at the prospect of Ms Hayat leaving him,” judge Sweeney said in court, the Sydney Morning Herald reported of his apparent motive.
“This was against a background of controlling and violent behavior by the offender. The offense occurred in the home of Ms Hayat, where she was entitled to feel safe,” the judge added, per the outlet, which stated that the victim’s mother, Mahafuza Akter, “broke down” and “was inconsolable” after hearing the verdict.
The victim’s father, Abu Hayat, said in a victim impact statement that Zafar had “burned the face I used to talk to and kiss every night,” according to the publication.
Hayat — who was a medical student — also texted a friend, “I hate him,” just hours before her death, 9News reported. The outlet added that the victim had told friends she was planning to leave her husband but was “scared” and that he’d “frequently bashed and strangled her.”
The publication reported that Hayat didn’t report the violence to police, but mentioned it to friends multiple times.
On the night of Hayat’s murder, Zafar’s mother reportedly called police after her son told her the couple had had a fight and she wasn’t breathing, per 9News.
The Supreme Court of New South Wales (NSW) didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE. The NSW Police Force said it was unable to provide additional details because the case was with the court. (People)
