A woman accused of murdering her husband wept as she told the court she tried to push her lover away as he repeatedly stabbed her husband.
Gurjinder Singh and Amandeep Kaur are on trial on a charge of murdering Ms Kaur's husband, Davender Singh.
Amandeep Kaur (left) sitting in the dock at the Auckland High Court with a translator (right). Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
Davender Singh was found dead in his car in Papatoetoe in August 2014.
Both deny charges of murder.
Today, giving evidence in her own defence, Ms Kaur said she pulled out of the plan and ended her affair with Gurjinder Singh, the day before the killing.
She said for five months she had an affair with Gurjinder Singh as the pair worked as forklift drivers at a plastics factory in South Auckland.
The Crown said notes between the pair show them declaring their love for each other but also planning where, when and how the murder will take place.
Today Ms Kaur said her husband beat her when he found out about the affair.
She said the couple reconciled and she chose to keep her 13-year marriage, rather than the five-month relationship with Gurjinder Singh.
She said she wrote a note to Gurjinder saying "finish everything" and that meant ending the affair and calling off the planned murder.
Ms Kaur said, despite that, Gurjinder Singh killed her husband.
It happened as she and Davender Singh were parked on the side of the road, having a private chat.
She said Gurjinder Singh pulled up behind them and approached their car on foot, and her husband told her he would handle it.
She said she began playing a game on her phone but she looked up as an argument started and she saw Mr Singh stab her husband repeatedly.
She said she tried to push him away but it was too late.
Ms Kaur said Mr Singh put the knife inside the car and told her to stab her husband too. She refused. She also refused to run, she said.
She said Gurjinder Singh suggested she tell police there had been a robbery, which was what she initially told police. But she later told them the killer was Mr Singh, not a robber.
She told the court she initially lied because affairs in her culture could result in a woman being burned or even killed.
She said her earlier involvement in the planning of the killing also influenced her decision.
Her evidence is at odds with what Gurjinder Singh has told the court.
He said, by the time he arrived, Davender Singh had already been stabbed.
Mr Singh told the court he only agreed to get rid of evidence after Ms Kaur threatened to frame him for the killing.
He confirmed he had lied to police during his interview but said that was because he did not think anyone believed his story.
He also confirmed he made admissions about his role because he wanted to end the police questioning.
