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Melbourne lake deaths: mother allegedly admitted murdering her children, court hears Melbourne lake deaths: mother allegedly admitted murdering her children, court hears
(25 days later)
A mother accused of murdering three of her children by driving them into a Melbourne lake allegedly said she would “rather take her own life and that of the kids” than see them live with her lover and his wife, the court has heard.A mother accused of murdering three of her children by driving them into a Melbourne lake allegedly said she would “rather take her own life and that of the kids” than see them live with her lover and his wife, the court has heard.
A woman, who cannot be named, claims she overheard Akon Guode make the comments before she drove into a Wyndham Vale lake last year.A woman, who cannot be named, claims she overheard Akon Guode make the comments before she drove into a Wyndham Vale lake last year.
She also says she saw Guode a few months later and asked her: “Did you really do it?”She also says she saw Guode a few months later and asked her: “Did you really do it?”
“She said, ‘Yes, I did it,’” the woman said in a statement tendered in the Melbourne magistrates’ court on Friday. “What I understood that to mean was that she had taken her kids’ lives.”“She said, ‘Yes, I did it,’” the woman said in a statement tendered in the Melbourne magistrates’ court on Friday. “What I understood that to mean was that she had taken her kids’ lives.”
The witness says Guode told her she “didn’t expect to still be alive”.The witness says Guode told her she “didn’t expect to still be alive”.
Related: Melbourne lake deaths: mother excused from court after breaking down during triple-0 evidence
Guode, a mother of seven, is charged with murdering her one-year-old son, Bol, and twins Hanger and her brother Madit, four.Guode, a mother of seven, is charged with murdering her one-year-old son, Bol, and twins Hanger and her brother Madit, four.
The 37-year-old is also charged with attempting to murder her six-year-old daughter, Alual, who survived after being pulled from the water on 8 April last year.The 37-year-old is also charged with attempting to murder her six-year-old daughter, Alual, who survived after being pulled from the water on 8 April last year.
All four children were fathered by Joseph Manyang. He and Guode began an affair after she immigrated to Australia from Sudan and Manyang left his wife in 2010.All four children were fathered by Joseph Manyang. He and Guode began an affair after she immigrated to Australia from Sudan and Manyang left his wife in 2010.
The witness says she overheard Guode claim that Manyang’s wife was threatening her.The witness says she overheard Guode claim that Manyang’s wife was threatening her.
“I could see that Akon was stressed and scared,” the woman’s statement says. “Akon said she would rather take her own life and that of the kids.“I could see that Akon was stressed and scared,” the woman’s statement says. “Akon said she would rather take her own life and that of the kids.
“She said in a jealous kind of way that she didn’t want the kids to go to [Manyang] and the wife, that she wanted herself and the kids to go together, to end it.”“She said in a jealous kind of way that she didn’t want the kids to go to [Manyang] and the wife, that she wanted herself and the kids to go together, to end it.”
Related: Melbourne lake deaths: paramedic says mother complained of dizziness
The woman, who lives interstate, says she has been pressured by the Sudanese community not to testify. She was arrested on a warrant on Friday after she failed to appear at a video link facility to give evidence.The woman, who lives interstate, says she has been pressured by the Sudanese community not to testify. She was arrested on a warrant on Friday after she failed to appear at a video link facility to give evidence.
She was eventually cross-examined briefly by Guode’s barrister, Julian McMahon, and was bailed to appear again on Wednesday, when her claims will be tested.She was eventually cross-examined briefly by Guode’s barrister, Julian McMahon, and was bailed to appear again on Wednesday, when her claims will be tested.
The court heard the woman suffered some mental health issues.The court heard the woman suffered some mental health issues.
After initially claiming she could not remember, she also admitted she had previously been jailed over a serious assault in which a person had been stabbed.After initially claiming she could not remember, she also admitted she had previously been jailed over a serious assault in which a person had been stabbed.
She did not want to answer questions about herself. “The evidence here, that’s what I’m here for,” she said. “It’s not about my personal life.”She did not want to answer questions about herself. “The evidence here, that’s what I’m here for,” she said. “It’s not about my personal life.”
Guode says a dizzy spell caused the lake tragedy and Manyang has previously told the court he believes the crash was an accident.Guode says a dizzy spell caused the lake tragedy and Manyang has previously told the court he believes the crash was an accident.