Jaspal Singh Sidhu’s sister takes the stand at his second-degree murder trial

Jaspal Singh Sidhu’s sister was emotional as she testified Friday at her brother’s second-degree murder trial.

He’s accused of stabbing his father, Balbir Singh Sidhu, on Feb. 28, 2023.

The 68-year-old was found dead in his Guelph home with eight stab wounds and a knife in his chest.

Jaspal Singh Sidhu was arrested at the scene.

Sister’s testimony

Crown Attorney Peter Keen called Kamaljit Dhillon to the stand on day five of the trial.

She told the court that Jaspal Singh Sidhu was the only sibling living at the Hands Drive home at the time of the stabbing. Both she and her sister lived elsewhere.

Keen then questioned Dhillon about her father’s health.

She said Balbir Singh Sidhu had injured his shoulder at work many years ago and was still suffering from chronic pain.

Dhillon fought back tears as she described her father as a “very hard worker” who would regularly “do his walks in the morning and eating healthy.”

She said Balbir Singh Sidhu came to Canada in 1992 and worked to establish himself before the rest of the family immigrated in 1996.

Jaspal Singh Sidhu sat silently during Dhillon’s testimony.

Forensic evidence

The defense also cross-examined Renata Dziak, from Ontario’s Centre of Forensic Sciences.

She told court on Thursday that a sheath that matched the blue knife in Balbir Singh Sidhu’s chest had a mixture of three people’s DNA on it, but no blood.

Defence lawyer David Doney questioned Dziak about the blue knife. She said there was no blood on its handle, while the blood on the blade belonged only to Balbir Singh Sidhu.

Doney asked: “And the DNA of his son was not?”

“The only DNA on the swab was Balbir Singh Sidhu, who could not be excluded,” Dziak responded. “It is possible for someone to handle an item and not leave enough DNA to detect.”

Joel Apps, the lead investigator for the Guelph Police Service, also gave evidence on Friday.

The trial is set to resume Monday.