Last suspect in UBC homicide sentenced to 25 years in prison

The third suspect in a UBC homicide from 2022 was sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 25 years on Tuesday.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) says a jury at the Supreme Court of B.C. convicted Balraj Basra of first-degree murder and arson.

The other two perpetrators were already sentenced earlier this year. Both were charged with first-degree murder and had entered a guilty plea.

While Iqbal Kang was sentenced to 17 years in prison with an additional five-year concurrent sentence for arson, Deandre Baptiste was sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 17 years.

The homicide occurred in the morning of October 17, 2022, around the University Golf Club on University Boulevard.

Police were called out because of a shooting in that area. Upon arrival, officers located the victim, 38-year-old Vishal Walia, suffering from fatal gunshot wounds.

Shortly after, a vehicle fire was reported on West 20th Avenue – not far from the initial scene of the shooting.

Officers from the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) quickly identified the suspects who fled the scene in another vehicle.

Together with officers from the BC Highway Patrol and the Richmond RCMP, the VPD arrested the suspects a few minutes later.

“Organized crime has no boundaries, and this is a good example of police officers from different departments and units jumping in and working together with the common goal to protect the public,” said Sgt. Freda Fong of IHIT.