Qld: Wife admitted to trying to strangle husband, court told

AAP General News (Australia)
02-14-2001
Qld: Wife admitted to trying to strangle husband, court told

A Japanese woman accused of cutting her husband up with an electric saw has admitted
to trying to strangle him.

AKIKO KITAYAMA, who's 54, has pleaded NOT guilty in a Brisbane Supreme Court to the
murder of her 62-year-old husband in 1999, in their Surfers Paradise unit.

Mr KITAYAMA'S body has never been found.

It's alleged KITAYAMA cut her husband up in the unit then put his body parts in bags
that were left in the basement to be collected for garbage.

A saw has never been found, but a warranty card and instruction manual for a Bosch
electric saw were allegedly discovered in the KITAYAMAS' unit.

In his closing address today, CHRIS CALLAGHAN, for KITAYAMA, told the Brisbane jury
she'd admitted in a police interview to trying to strangle her husband in the past.

Mr CALLAGHAN says his client wouldn't have done this if she'd actually killed her husband.

The trial is continuing before Justice JOHN MUIR and the jury is expected to retire
to consider its verdict tomorrow morning.





The KITAYAMAS' were Japanese nationals living in the Surfers Paradise unit on retirees' visas.

AAP RTV smk/jhm/hn/jn

KEYWORD: KITAYAMA (BRISBANE)

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