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Wife denies killing husband in cyanide murder plot

A WIFE on trial for the cyanide poisoning killing of her husband told police: “I haven’t done any murder.”

Sofia Sam, on trial for the fatal cyanide poisoning of her husband, told police: “I haven’t done any murder.” Picture : Ian Currie
Sofia Sam, on trial for the fatal cyanide poisoning of her husband, told police: “I haven’t done any murder.” Picture : Ian Currie

A WIFE on trial for the fatal cyanide poisoning of her husband told police: “I haven’t done any murder.”

Ten months after the death of Sam Abraham his wife, Sofia Sam — told that she was being charged with his murder — repeatedly told detectives she had had no involvement in his death and was unsure why she had been arrested.

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“I just want to go home,” she said at one point.

Ms Sam, 33, and Arun Kamalasanan, 35, who police say was her lover, have both ­pleaded not guilty in the ­Supreme Court to murdering Mr Abraham in October 2015.

A recording of Ms Sam’s police interview was played to the jury on Monday.

She appeared to show no emotion when police told her that her husband had been poisoned with cyanide. Asked what she knew of cyanide, she said she recalled from school chemistry class that “nobody knows the taste of cyanide”.

Sofia Sam arrives at the Supreme Court in Melbourne. Picture: David Crosling
Sofia Sam arrives at the Supreme Court in Melbourne. Picture: David Crosling
Arun Kamalasanan has pleaded not guilty to murdering Sam Abraham. Picture: David Crosling
Arun Kamalasanan has pleaded not guilty to murdering Sam Abraham. Picture: David Crosling

The jury heard she had contacted the State Coroner’s ­office five times in previous months about autopsy results.

Asked how her husband could have got cyanide in his system, Ms Sam said: “I don’t know. I can’t even believe that he ate cyanide or the cause of his death was cyanide. There’s no cyanide at home.”

She said her husband hadn’t been feeling well before he went to bed, so she had made him a freshly squeezed orange juice.

He didn’t want it, so she left it for him to have later. She also said she had earlier made an avocado shake, which she had shared with him and their son, 6.

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Sofia Sam with her husband Sam Abraham.
Sofia Sam with her husband Sam Abraham.

She said he had become angry when they began to talk about “financial matters” and her desire for another child.

“He used to get angry fast,” Ms Sam said.

“I was planning for another kid. But he was not that into. And also, he was not able to satisfy me. He used to get tired.”

The jury has heard a recording of Mr Kamalasanan telling a man, who unbeknown to him was an undercover police officer, how he sneaked into Ms Sam’s house and drugged the family with sleeping tablets, before poisoning Mr Abraham.

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He said the sleeping agent was in the avocado shake, and cyanide powder was mixed into a cup of orange juice.

Mr Kamalasanan told the officer he had always loved Ms Sam, and that she did not know of his murderous plan.

After his arrest hours later, he denied any involvement in Mr Abraham’s death.

The trial, before Justice Paul Coghlan, continues.

rebekah.cavanagh@news.com.au

Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/wife-denies-killing-husband-in-cyanide-murder-plot/news-story/b943ab0d699748c220a639e0bafc62c1