A Sri Lankan man in Melbourne accused of murdering his estranged wife after she asked for a divorce claims he acted in self-defense after his victim came at him with a knife “in her murderous rage”.
Dinush Kurera, 47, whom prosecutors allege had no injuries after the attack, he killed his wife but he did so to save his own life.
“He grappled with her over the knife, in her murderous rage, and he defended himself and the deceased was killed,” defence barrister John Desmond told 14 jurors.
A mother-of-three killed by her estranged husband fled the family home with her children almost a decade earlier after he hit her with a hammer and stomped on her, a jury has been told
Nelomie Perera, 43, was found dead in her kitchen in December 2022 after Dinush Kurera allegedly murdered her in what prosecutors alleged was a “sustained, brutal and vicious attack” with a hatchet and kitchen knife.
Kurera has admitted he killed his wife, but claimed he did so to save his own life, his lawyers told Victorian Supreme Court jury on Wednesday
Perera He said , 43, had discovered Kurera was cheating on her with another woman while he was on a trip in Sri Lanka and ended their marriage over the phone.
She told him he could no longer stay at their family home, organised a storage unit where she moved his belongings and was fearful about his return home to Melbourne, Gibson alleged.
The family then moved to the living room where the estranged couple argued before Gibson claimed Kurera again hit Perera with the hatchet, which Kurera also denies.
Their 17-year-old son tried to run for help, but Gibson alleged Kurera chased him and hit him with the axe.
Desmond said Kurera denies assaulting his son.
“It just didn’t happen,” the defence barrister said today.
