A man accused of stabbing his wife to death while experiencing financial difficulties has claimed she “took her own life”, a court has heard. Egyptian national Mohamed Samak has denied killing Joanne Samak, 49, at their home in Droitwich Spa in the early hours of July 1, 2024.
Samak, 42, was arrested by West Mercia Police after his alleged victim was found at the address with what police described as unsurvivable injuries. Opening a trial at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday, lead prosecutor Mr Harpreet Sandhu KC told the jury that Samak killed his wife after becoming interested in another woman and experiencing financial difficulties.
The prosecutor said Samak, who was a hockey coach who had previously worked with the under-18 Welsh national team, had “kept an eye” on his status as an alleged beneficiary of Ms Samak’s life insurance policy and pension. His wife, who was to have begun working at her new interior design business on the day of her death, was said to be the “main breadwinner” of the household, and the defendant had been seeking the assistance of financial advisers while struggling with his mental health, the court was told.
Mr Sandhu told the jury that Samak had killed his wife, but lied to police by claiming she had instead “stabbed herself repeatedly” before he found her slumped on a bed with a knife in her stomach. The defendant alleged he had found Ms Samak, who slept in a separate bedroom from her husband, at about 4.10am after he woke to use the toilet, and immediately phoned 999.
20(1).webp?trim=37,0,8,0&quality=75&auto=webp&width=1000)
