Stabbing survivor Lour Zai asks Supreme Court for first use of the new victim impact statement clause

The survivor of an “honour-driven” family stabbing has made a huge decision about her case, which may need an interstate interpreter.

"Ror Zai", the younger brother of stabbing victim "Lour Zai", outside the Adelaide Magistrates Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire

• Why a daughter was kidnapped, stabbed over love

A young woman who survived being ambushed, stabbed and kidnapped by her own family has asked her victim impact statement be kept confidential - while her tormentors may need an interpreter flown in from interstate.

The Advertiser can reveal the woman, known as “Lour Zai”, has asked the Supreme Court to receive her statement in confidence, without it being read aloud or released to the media.

She is the first survivor of crime to seek to use changes to the handling of victim impact statements proposed under a draft Bill, authored by the state government in September.

Lour’s feelings about the crimes committed against her, and their impact on her life, will still form part of the sentencing of her father, mother, two brothers, sister and brother-in-law.

Her statement was to be tendered in court on Monday - however, the family’s scheduled day-long sentencing hearing derailed unexpectedly.

“Khour Zai", older sister of stabbing victim "Lour Zai", outside the Adelaide Magistrates Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire

“Waleeda Zai”, mother of stabbing victim "Lour Zai", outside the Adelaide Magistrates Court.. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Justice Sandi McDonald said an interpreter had been arranged to assist Lour’s father, “Plar”, in his native Pashto language, but that person had not attended court.

“I make clear the court is in no way at fault for what has occurred this morning,” she said.

“It’s simply a matter that the interpreter became unavailable, and the court only became aware of that at 10.15am.

“We will have to fix a new date for this matter... to be frank, we might need to explore bringing in an interpreter from interstate, given the limited availability here in SA.”

Plar, Walleda, Zowee and Khour Zai, and Kour’s husband Akh-Khi, pleaded guilty to aggravated causing serious harm with intent and kidnapping.

They conspired to restrain and stab Lour in the Sefton Plaza shopping centre car park because, they believed, she had brought dishonour upon the family.

Zowee and his younger brother Ror – who stalked and tracked Lour – also committed an armed home invasion prior to the stabbing, wrongly attacking an innocent person. They pleaded guilty to one count each of aggravated serious criminal trespass in a place of residence.

The identities of victims and offenders alike are suppressed and all names used in court and by The Advertiser are pseudonyms.

On Monday, prosecutor Michael Foundas tendered transcripts of telephone calls between the Zais in the lead-up to both the home invasion and the stabbing.

He also tendered CCTV footage and recordings made, by SA Police body cams, of the family and “their behaviour” immediately after Lour was stabbed.

Justice McDonald remanded Plar, Zowee and Akh-Khi in custody, and Walleda, Khour and Ror on continuing bail, to a date to be set.