Dad stabs wife to death in front of their 2 young children, but tells the court that he's the victim (Howick Falls, South Africa)

Dad JAISEELAN (JASON) GOVINDSAMY is a classic example of an abuser dad shooting the usual line of bull manure. Although he is charged with stabbing his wife to death--in front of their two young children, no less--Dad is complaining about how he's the real victim. Oh for gawd's sake, cry me a river. I can't stand the self-serving, self-pitying crap that comes out of the mouths of killers. In fact, the mom had wanted to divorce him, but seemed to have felt sorry for him. And I am really skeptical about the killer's story about being "forced" to live in the garage--especially with his alcoholism, cocaine addiction, and mental health issues. I suspect that he didn't function well enough to live independently, so the wife may have let him camp out there rather than letting him go homeless altogether. But as the prosecutor rightly mentions, the only person who could dispute the killer's claims is dead, isn't she?

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=vn20090803112246554C689124

'Only person who can dispute claims is dead'
August 03 2009 at 05:13PM

By Sherlissa Peters

Breaking down on the stand, Jaiseelan (Jason) Govindsamy wept as he portrayed himself at the Pietermaritzburg High Court as a "victim" of his marriage.

Govindsamy, 41, is charged with the murder of his wife, Anthea, 35, who was stabbed to death at the Howick Falls on March 27, 2007, in front of the couple's two young children.

He has pleaded not guilty to the murder, but admits stabbing his wife. He maintains he could not appreciate the wrongfulness or unlawfulness of his actions at the time.

Similar to his statements to clinical psychologist Lingum Pillay, whose assessment of Govindsamy was handed to the court last week, Govindsamy on Friday said he had been riddled with guilt because his wife blamed him for carrying a "defective gene"' which he passed on to his child.

After this she began distancing herself from him and eventually stopped sleeping with him. He said he later suspected her of having an affair.

Govindsamy said that after enrolling at Unisa, Anthea became "drowned in her studies" and their marriage was in serious difficulty.

In September 2005, Anthea told him she wanted a divorce. The couple lived separate lives.

In March 2006 Anthea asked him to move out of the house and threatened to leave with the children. He said he recalled becoming extremely emotional and wanting to die.

It was agreed that he would "keep out of Anthea's way" and move into the garage, but would still continue to assist parenting the children.

"I really loved my wife," Govindsamy said, but added that he had "suffered" as a result of his marital problems.

He said he had lived like a dog in the garage, with only a broken down couch for furniture a year before Anthea's death.

The garage had no toilet or bathroom and no windows.

Meanwhile, he continued to pay the house bond, rates, electricity and water bills, he said.

Govindsamy said he felt "alone and helpless" and was treated at Edendale Psychiatric Hospital for depression and then admitted to Townhill Psychiatric Hospital.

He also drank heavily and began smoking cocaine costing R300 daily.

Recalling the day of the murder, Govindsamy battled to maintain his composure on the stand, saying that he remembered "being on top of her (Anthea) and stabbing her and stabbing her".

"I could not stop," he said.

Prosecutor Dheelan Naidoo suggested to Govindsamy that his version of the events that led to the murder of his wife was a "pack of lies" conveniently portraying himself as a "victim".

"It is extremely convenient that the only person who can dispute your claims is dead," Naidoo said.

Naidoo will continue to cross-examine Govindsamy on Monday after consultation with a panel of expert psychiatrists who are sitting in on court proceedings.