KELOWNA, B.C. - A murder suspect startled his own lawyer when he pleaded guilty in a Kelowna, B.C., courtroom on Tuesday.
The surprise plea brought an abrupt end to what was expected to be a three-week trial for Tejwant Danjou on a charge of second-degree murder.
Danjou simply said "I'm guilty" when asked for his plea by B.C. Supreme Court Justice Alison Beames.
When she asked if Danjou had discussed his plea with his lawyer, the 70-year-old Vancouver real estate agent said he didn't need to speak to anyone, and then repeated, "I'm guilty."
Danjou has been in custody since July 2018 when he was arrested in West Kelowna after the body of Rama Gauravarapu, a woman who was known to him, was found in a hotel room in that city.
The case was expected to return to court Wednesday for a joint submission from the Crown and defence. Sentencing has been scheduled for March 13.
Danjou told court a Crown lawyer had offered him the mandatory minimum sentence for second-degree murder of 10 years before parole eligibility in exchange for his confession, but Beames had more questions.
"I need to be sure that you know what you're doing," she told Danjou.
"Do you understand that only I can make a determination as to what the appropriate sentence is?"
Following a brief recess, Danjou's lawyer told Beames her client was "very clear" about his intentions.
Matters to be heard in court were expected to include an agreed statement of facts describing events related to the slaying of Gauravarapu, who was a longtime financial planner in Surrey, B.C.(The Daily Courier)