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A man accused of murdering his ex-wife with a hunting knife in broad daylight on a West Auckland suburban street says he never thought of hurting her or using a knife to stab her.
Li Manchao. Source: rnz.co.nz
Li Manchao is on trial in Auckland High Court after pleading not guilty to murder and violating a protection order.
The 65-year-old man is accused of attacking his ex-wife Yang Zhimin on Westgate Drive, Massey, around 8:30 a.m. on July 29, 2019.
It is the case of the Crown that Li planned and prepared to kill Yang after the Supreme Court ruled against him in a marital property dispute.
Early in the trial, the court heard that Yang was stabbed 12 times in the face, neck, chest, stomach and arms on the suburban street and died at the scene.
Providing evidence through an interpreter, Li told the court how he and Yang arrived in New Zealand in the early 2000s.
When questioned by defense attorney Sam Wimsett, Li said he and Yang told immigration they were married, but admitted it was not a real marriage.
They had an arrangement in which Li would pay for the immigration application costs, and once they were successful, he would pay her an additional amount.
Li said that not long after their citizenship or residency was confirmed in 2004, the couple separated.
That sparked a series of legal disputes between them.
When asked by Wimsett if the financial arrangement they agreed to went according to plan, Li said no.
He said that while paying him the initial amount, Yang asked for more money.
“To be honest, it was my fault,” Li said through the interpreter.
“If I paid you this money, everything would be fine.”
Li’s mental health deteriorated after she parted ways with Yang. He briefly moved to Australia and at one point returned to China for treatment.
He said that he had been admitted to the hospital many times after having a mental breakdown and was prescribed antidepressants.
He also tried to commit suicide twice.
Wimsett asked Li about his mental state in the days leading up to Yang’s death.
Li said she had stopped taking her medication and did not think she was sleeping.
When asked by Wimsett how he felt, Li said that he sometimes felt “very, very dizzy in my head.”
“I can’t describe it, I felt really bad.”
Li said he felt he had “so many people” arguing in his head and that it was difficult for him to “find peace.”
When asked if he had ever thought of hurting or stabbing Yang, Li said that he never had.
He said that he does not remember stabbing Yang and that he could not accept that he murdered her.
“If the police brought one of those lie detection machines, they would get an accurate result.”
Wimsett asked him if he agreed to stabbing Yang.
“I accept that, a lot of people saw it, so it must be a fact,” Li said.
The trial continues before Judge Jagose and a jury of seven women and five men.
