Pictured: Tourist dad-of-five accused of stabbing his wife to death in front of his horrified children while on holiday in Australia
Pictured: Tourist father of five accused of stabbing his wife to death in front of his shocked children while on holiday in Australia
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A father-of-five on a family holiday to Australia who allegedly stabbed his wife to death in front of his children after a heated argument has finally been identified.
Rimoni Muliaga, 42, has been charged with the murder of Lise Muliaga, who died on September 18 in Melton, on Melbourne’s north-west edge.
The family, including children aged between five and 14, had traveled from their home in New Zealand to visit Mr Muliaga’s brother Daniel.
A court previously heard that the couple’s children, along with Daniel’s young children, witnessed the alleged attack on the Sutherland Avenue home.
Mr Muliaga’s identity was previously withheld by the court as his wife is originally from Samoa, where it is customary for the village chief to inform loved ones of a death.
The family are from New Zealand and were visiting Mr Muliaga’s brother in Melton, Victoria
The couple has been married for 13 years and during a court hearing Mr Muliaga is suffering from mental health problems
The prosecutor requested a temporary suppression order so that this practice could be enforced instead of the family potentially finding out about it through the media.
That order expired this week, while a hearing in the Victorian court on Friday saw Mr Muliaga suffering from mental health problems, reports the Herald Sun.
The couple had been married for 13 years and social media posts showed the family looking healthy and happy.
The court heard scraping of fingernails and saliva. DNA evidence collected from Mrs Muliaga will form part of the case against her husband.
Neighbors told reporters they heard an argument and then shouting before emergency services arrived on the scene.
Mr Muliaga will next appear on January 23.
Ms Muliaga is originally from Tonga, where it is customary for the village chief to inform loved ones