Sentencing for Abbotsford double-murder convicts delayed after constitutional challenge
The sentencing of three men convicted of the 2022 Abbotsford murders has been postponed until February 22 2027 following a judge’s ruling that the parole-ineligibility provision may violate the Charter.
In a disturbing 2022 home invasion in Abbotsford, 77-year-old Arnold De Jong died after his head and face were wrapped in duct tape, and 76-year-old Joanne De Jong was bludgeoned and had her throat cut. Three men - Abhijeet Singh, Khushveer Toor and Gurkaran Singh - were convicted in May of first-degree murder and will receive life sentences. Prior to the killings, Abhijeet Singh and Khushveer Toor had been hired by the De Jongs for exterior cleaning work.
The defendants’ lawyers filed a constitutional challenge seeking to reduce the parole-ineligibility period from 25 years to 15 years. Justice Brenda Brown ruled that the 25-year provision infringes the Charter’s protection against cruel and unusual punishment, reserving a detailed decision for November 13. She is expected to issue a final ruling early next year, after which sentencing will occur on February 22 2027. The De Jong family expressed shock and disappointment at the further delay.
