Rimoni Muliaga, 44, admitted he killed his wife Lise in Melbourne's west but claimed he was not guilty of murder because of his diagnosed intellectual disability and depressive disorder. In sentencing Muliaga on Wednesday, Justice James Gorton described the killing as a serious case of murder driven by unjustified and unwarranted jealousy. The presence of the children at the murder was an aggravating feature, Justice Gorton said. Justice Gorton said Muliaga's moral culpability was therefore reduced and the mental health conditions would make his time in custody more difficult. Justice Gorton said despite those factors, he still had to denounce the serious case of domestic violence and deter Muliaga from committing another attack again.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 25, 2026 08:15 UTC