<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lise Muliaga's five young children had every reason to fall apart after her death.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After all, it was their father Rimoni Muliaga, who took her life at their home in Melbourne's outer west.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But two-and-a-half years on, their son showed compassion and care as Muliaga faced a pre-sentence hearing in the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/victoria" rel="" target="_blank" title="Victorian"><span>Victorian</span></a><span> Supreme Court.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/australian-tourist-dead-phuket-thailand-alleged-assault/f617fb29-0121-4403-8da3-d917c070d310" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Australian tourist dies in Thailand after alleged assault</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Please tell my dad he doesn't have to worry about us and we are thriving and serving the Lord, just like he would want," the teenager said in a statement read by senior crown prosecutor Patrick Bourke KC.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I forgive him but I will never forget what he did."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Muliaga, 44, stabbed Lise to death in their Melton South backyard in September 2023 - months after they had moved from New Zealand and after accusing her of cheating on him with his brother.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/rimoni-muliaga-killers-kids-vow-to-forgive-but-not-forget-lise-muliagas-death/b8022ab7-7be7-4aa3-b895-ad4de693d51a" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But he denied he was guilty of murder and took the case to trial, claiming his diagnosed intellectual disability and depressive disorder impacted his reasoning.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A jury rejected those claims, convicting him of murder in December after four days of deliberations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Eight victim impact statements were read to the court as Muliaga faced a pre-sentence hearing today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Five came from the children he shared with Lise, ranging in age from seven to 16.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/hills-hoist-maker-strategic-review-expected-sale/6e7db2de-2fd6-4bd2-98c7-b28acfa14269" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Company behind Australian cultural icon on verge of being sold</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Muliaga blinked away tears as one of his young daughters described her difficulty sleeping because she kept thinking about the murder.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I was having a bad dream," the statement read.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Mum went to heaven and dad went to prison alone. That made me sad."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Another one of the children drew a picture depicting his mother in heaven with God and his father in jail, while another child illustrated a bloodied woman lying on the ground.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 16-year-old son told the court the past few years had been traumatic but it made him mature and he was motivated to become a father figure to his younger siblings.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I honestly just want to live life to the fullest," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Muliaga's brother Daniel and sister-in-law Marama also provided statements to the court, with Marama showing grace.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I want you to know I forgive you for the mess you have made," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I pray for your healing for your sake and your beautiful kids."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/stapylton-crash-update-parents-charged-with-domestic-violence-manslaughter-of-threeyearold-son-queensland-court-news/c3da7668-ad9b-4d8f-aad9-83ff17829d18" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Parents charged with domestic violence manslaughter of three-year-old son</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Defence barrister Michael McGrath accepted it was an objectively grave case, given the victim was Muliaga's wife and he used a weapon.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But Muliaga showed remorse and his moral culpability should be reduced due to his intellectual disability and depression, McGrath said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He had limited capacity to self-regulate his emotions and the morbid jealousy he experienced at the time of the murder was a feature of his conditions, the barrister said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Bourke argued the jealousy was separate from Muliaga's diagnoses and while his time in custody would be more difficult, his moral culpability should not be significantly moderated.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Justice James Gorton will sentence Muliaga at a later date.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Support is available from the</span></strong><span> </span><strong><span>National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service</span></strong><span> </span><strong><span>at</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.1800respect.org.au/"><strong><span>1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>If you or someone you know is in need of support contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue. In the event of an emergency dial Triple Zero (000).</span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>