Troy Cordingley speaks after arrest of the murder suspect of daughter Toyah, Rajwinder Singh
After a four-year global manhunt for the man suspected of murdering his daughter Toyah, Troy Cordingley has praised police for the work that led to the arrest of Rajwinder Singh in India.
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The father of slain Cairns woman Toyah Cordingley has praised local and federal police for their tenacity which led to the arrest of murder suspect Rajwinder Singh in India after an intense four-year manhunt.
As Mr Singh awaits a court appearance from his Indian prison cell, Troy Cordingley said he was profoundly grateful for the constant communication from the different levels of police and government authorities.
Mr Cordingley said as police on two continents worked to locate his daughter’s suspected killer, local officers had kept him in touch with their progress toward apprehending Mr Singh, who was taken into custody in New Delhi on Friday.
A nurse working in Innisfail at the time, police discovered Mr Singh fled from Cairns to India two days after the 24-year-old’s killing, leaving behind his job, wife, and their three children.
It was Mr Cordingley who found his 24-year-old daughter’s body at Wangetti Beach, 40km north of Cairns on October 22, 2018.
“I always had faith in the police,” Mr Cordingley said.
“They have always been honest with me.”
Mr Cordingley, who has his daughter’s name tattooed above his heart, said he hoped the extradition of Mr Singh to face trial would run smoothly.
“It’s all looking very positive,” he said.
“I want to thank everyone in the Cairns community for their support.”
On Saturday some friends and others close to Ms Cordingley and her family gathered for a public vigil at her memorial at Wangetti Beach, to honour her memory and celebrate a huge step towards justice.
Wayne Trimble who spoke on behalf of Toyah’s mother Vanessa Gardiner, said the family had been through “a roller coaster” and the arrest of Mr Singh was welcomed.
“We never gave up,” he said.
“We’ll get a new sticker made that says, ‘Justice for Toyah’, justice, that’s what we want.”
Mr Trimble said Ms Gardiner was “cautiously optimistic because she first wants to see him (the suspect) be transferred here to Australia”.
While Toyah’s many supporters have taken to social media to discuss the news of the arrest of Mr Singh, legal and political experts have warned of the complexities involved in extraditing someone to Australia to face trial.
According to Indian media reports, Mr Singh will next face court in New Delhi on November 30, the next stage of the extradition process.
Respected criminal law expert and former Queensland Law Society president Bill Potts said it could take between three months and two years to sign off on the paperwork to bring Mr Singh from India to Cairns.
Mr Potts said despite the emotional aspects of the murder case, he felt Mr Singh would receive a fair trial in the Far North.
“I am confident that the accused would get a fair trial in Cairns,” he said.
“Juries are well able to differentiate between what is said and what is evidence.”
But Mr Potts said it was possible that Mr Singh’s legal team would request the trial be heard outside the Cairns region.
“It’s not unlikely that his lawyers would ask for the matter to be transferred to the Brisbane register,” he said.
“But agreement to this kind of request is not very common.”
Shortly after the Queensland Police Service announced a $1m reward earlier this month, information was received in New Delhi that Mr Singh would be attending a doctor’s appointment.
Indian police arrested him on the way there on Friday.
Investigators believe a religious group hid Mr Singh, who had been accessing funds via bank cards attached to the accounts of family members in Queensland.
Mr Singh was said to have been arrested without incident but was in “shock” at having been discovered.
The arrest has been hailed as one of the most significant and extraordinary investigations in Queensland history.
Leichardt MP Warren Entsch said he believed the extradition would occur, “sooner rather than later.”
“Clearly there was a lot of discussion and co-operation between the Cairns, Queensland and Federal Police and the Indian Police,” he said.
“I believe that the accused will get fair trial in Cairns.”
Cairns MP Michael Healy said the process was complex with state and national authorities involved.
“If it was up to us, we would have him here tomorrow,” he said.
“These things take time, we want it done properly and I appreciate the community wants it to happen as soon as possible and we have to adhere to the Indian laws and the processes.”
Meanwhile, police have confirmed the hunt is on for anyone who helped or harboured Mr Singh, including those who offered financial assistance while he was on the run in India.
Queensland Police Service Detective Acting Superintendent Sonia Smith, who has worked on the investigation into Toyah’s death since day one, confirmed people could still face prosecution.
“All of the circumstances leading up from four years ago until yesterday are under investigation,” she said.
“We would encourage people, if they have any information at all, to please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.”
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