The cold-blooded murder of a Melbourne woman and her husband by her dad, upset his permission wasn't sought for their marriage, justified a life sentence, a court has determined.
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Osman Shaptafaj appealed the maximum penalty he received for killing his 25-year-old daughter Lindita Musai and her husband Veton Musai, 29, on December 31, 2019.
He was ordered to serve at least 35 years.
Shaptafaj, who pleaded guilty to two murder charges, challenged the sentence in Victoria's Court of Appeal.
That appeal was denied on Thursday.
Lindita and Veton Musai were returning home from a getaway to celebrate their first wedding anniversary when they were confronted by Shaptafaj.
He had been estranged from his daughter for eight years. He had not been asked by the couple for permission to marry and was not invited to the wedding - both things he later said were sore points.
Shaptafaj lay in wait for nearly two hours outside their Yarraville home before callously and cruelly shooting them in cold blood.
The ambushed couple was entirely defenceless and helpless, the judges said in their reasons.
His reason and motivation for the murders defy comprehension, they said, noting suggestions he was offended or insulted by the fact his daughter had married without consulting him or seeking his "permission".
She had not spoken to him since she was 17.
"Any such feeling was entirely self-centred, and under no circumstances could it provide any mitigation for perpetrating any act of violence against the two victims, let alone intentionally and cold-bloodedly taking their lives in the cowardly and evil manner in which he did so," the judges said.
Shaptafaj's barrister, Rishi Nathwani, had argued the sentence was manifestly excessive and that he was entitled to a sentencing discount because of his age, lack of criminal history, a finding that prison would be more difficult for him, and his guilty plea.
Justice Priest said another way of looking at it was that some killings are so bad that nothing other than life is appropriate.
Outside court after the appeal hearing, Veton's brother Drilon Musai said he hoped common sense would prevail in the judges' decision.
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Australian Associated Press
