Man accused of murdering Mary Ward in Belfast given trial date

Fionnuala Walsh

A Somali national accused of murdering his former partner Mary Ward in Belfast nearly two years ago has been given a date for his Central Criminal Court trial.

Ahmed Abdirahman (33), with a last address at Kinlay House, Lord Edward Street, Dublin 2, is accused of murdering young mother Ward on September 25th 2024, at her house on Melrose Street in south Belfast.

Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions, Garret Baker SC, on Tuesday told Judge Paul McDermott that the trial would take around four weeks.

Baker said that there was a cross-border dimension to the case that requires work behind the scenes.

Judge McDermott listed the case for trial on January 11th 2027, with a case management date on October 30th.

The court previously heard that a psychiatric issue in the case had "melted away" and the trial is now ready to proceed.