A man accused of stabbing his wife to death in front of 300 people at a Persian function says she had changed after becoming an Australian citizen.
Zialloh Abrahimzadeh, 57, is on trial in the supreme court charged with murdering Zahra Abrahimzadeh, 44, in front of their oldest daughter and 300 other guests at the Adelaide Convention Centre in March 2010.
Abrahimzadeh, who has pleaded not guilty, became emotional on Wednesday as he told the court that after migrating to Australia from Iran his wife became more independent after getting Centrelink money and Australian citizenship.
Her family were all in Iran but they would call and she would become a different person.
He said she sent her to Iran twice to sell their house but each time she returned empty handed and full of excuses.
The court has also taken evidence for the prosecution from his three children.
They said their father regularly insulted, slapped, punched or whipped the family with his belt if they dared talk back or disobeyed rules.
His son Arman said the violence worsened in 2007 after they confronted Abrahimzadeh about rumours he was having an affair.
His father admitted having “another wife” but said it was none of their business.
Arman said the family moved out in secret after a violent evening during which he had to wrestle his father away from the kitchen knife drawer as he threatened to kill them.
They bought a new car, stopped going to community functions and changed their habits to avoid bumping into anyone who might tell Abrahimzadeh their new address, Arman said.
Abrahimzadeh on Wednesday denied he had been violent towards his wife in Australia. He also denied having a mistress saying the woman was just his good friend.
The trial has been told Zahra was frightened when her estranged husband turned up at the function, but she had her back to Abrahimzadeh when he stabbed her eight times as bystanders tried to intervene.
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