MURDER TRIAL DAY TWO:
Accused claims wife was overdosed on drugs
In a video caution interview, Congo national Kiala Lusaka, alleged that his wife had overdosed on cocaine. Lusaka, 39, appeared before Justice Vincent Perera for the second day of trial yesterday- facing a charge of one count of murder.
He is alleged to have murdered his wife 44-year-old Jennifer Anne Downes, an Australian.
The alleged incident occurred on July 23, 2019, at their rented home at Service Street in Suva.
A video caution interview was produced in court showing that the interviewing officer questioned Lusaka on the photos he allegedly sent to his father-in-law in Australia via Facebook.
The photo showed the deceased lying on the bedroom floor with bruises on her face and coins placed on her eyes.
The officer questioned Lusaka whether he sent the photo and why? To which Lusaka claimed that he sent the photo because his wife was overdosed on cocaine and was lying on the floor.
He also claimed that he wanted to show his father-in-law what his wife did. He further claimed that he tried to take his own life after he saw his wife’s body and thought to himself that “Jenna” (the deceased) would not live and said, “let’s go together”.
The interview process further showed that during ongoing questions raised by the interviewing officers, Lusaka had said: “I swear to God, I will stop this interview and not come back to this room, stop asking me stupid questions, I do not care about the interview or the court or if you put me in jail”.
The trial continues today.