A murder accused told his friend he had killed his wife and that her body was in their Cork home, the Central Criminal Court has heard.
Regin Parithapara Rajan (43), originally from Kerala in India, denies murdering Deepa Dinami (38) at their home in Wilton in July 2023.
Mahesh Murali, who first met the accused in India, told the trial on Wednesday that he visited Mr Rajan’s home on the evening of July 14th, 2023 and his friend said he wanted to speak to him in private, so they went outside.
“In our local language he told me ‘I killed my wife and you can call the police and she is on top.’ I understood from this she was on the first floor. I was just shocked and shattered,” Mr Murali said.
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He told the court that Mr Rajan said he had stabbed Ms Dinami with a knife. Mr Murali said he called 999 and the emergency services arrived at the scene soon afterwards.
Mr Murali said he worked at the same company in Cork as Mr Rajan and the accused had in the past spoken to him about concerns he had for his marriage.
Mr Murali said Mr Rajan claimed his wife was “scolding him for simple things” and was “looking for a divorce”. Mr Murali said he urged his friend to give Ms Dinami time and space.
He said Mr Rajan at one point sent him a screenshot that he claimed was from his wife’s phone. In it, she allegedly said her status was separated but not divorced and she was “looking for someone I can have good conversation with, to begin with”.
Brian McInerney SC, for Mr Rajan, asked the witness if the defendant was concerned that his wife was in contact with other men. Mr Murali said he believed this was the case.
When asked if Mr Rajan was “upset” about his marriage, Mr Murali indicated that his friend was “disappointed and depressed” about it and he understood the accused did not want it to end.
The trial continues on Wednesday before Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford and a jury of five men and seven women.
