Daijiworld Media Network
Sydney, Feb 23: A woman and her lover of Indian origin have been held guilty of murdering the woman's husband with cyanide-laced juice at their Epping family home in October 2015.
Sofia Sam (33), and her lover Arun Kamalasanan (35), have been found guilty of murdering Sam Abraham at the Epping family home in October 2015.
After nearly six deliberations, and a three-week trial, the jury at the Supreme Court of Victoria delivered its verdict on February 21 afternoon.
Prosecutors alleged that Sofia and Arun were secret lovers who were culturally forbidden from divorcing their respective spouses, prompting them to hatch a plan to kill Sofia’s husband, Sam Abraham, by poisoning him in October 2015.
Abraham was found dead in his pyjamas and was initially thought to have suffered a heart attack. But an autopsy revealed he died of cyanide poisoning and had a sedative in his system.
Sofia claimed she was unaware of her husband’s death until she woke up and found Sam dead in the bed.
The mysterious death led to an extensive undercover investigation by investigators during which the duo was observed secretly meeting for lunch and running errands after Abraham’s death.
Kamalasanan is also believed to have told an undercover police officer that he had killed Abraham by sneaking into his house and pouring cyanide-laced orange juice in Abraham’s throat while he lay in bed with Sofia and their six-year old son. The tape of his confession to the undercover officer was played during the trial.
Sofia and Arun are believed to have maintained a diary in which they expressed their feelings for each other. The diary was presented in the court. “Can you hold me tight? I want to drift away in your love,” prosecutor Kerri Judd QC read from one of Sofia’s diary entries during the trial. “She is the best match for me - but what to do? I am sure that one day she will be mine,” Kamalasanan wrote.
The pair also opened a joint bank account in January 2014, before Sam’s death. Just five months after the death, Abraham’s car was transferred into the name of Kamalasanan.
Kamalasanan showed no emotion as the verdict was announced, while Sofia sobbed as she was led into custody by guards. Kamalasanan and Sofia were arrested in August 2016 and they denied their involvement in the murder. They even denied being in a relationship. But the jury decided they were both responsible. Undercover agents, doctors, toxicologists, paramedics, police and neighbours gave evidence during their trial.
The pair have been remanded to face a further hearing on 21st March.
In 2012, Sofia moved with her six-year-old son to Australia from India. Sam Abraham joined his family a few months later after working in Dubai.
All the while, prosecutors said, Sam had been having an affair with Kamalasanan, who she'd known for years. Kamalasanan had left his wife and child back in India and moved to Melbourne in the mid 2013.