I had no intentions or reason to kill my wife.

Those were the words of Simon McCartney who was responding to questions put to him by State and Defense lawyers in the murder trial of Ashika Lata McCartney.

McCartney who is alleged to have murdered Lata in October last year told High Court Judge Justice Daniel Goundar that he loved his wife and had no reason to murder her.

During cross-examination, he told the Court that Lata was happily living in Australia awaiting her permanent residence visa while he was waiting for Lata in Fiji.

He then further told the Court that it was unfortunate for him that most of the evidence brought to the Court was against him.

DPP lawyer Paulini Madanavosa also brought to the Court's attention that McCartney has a girlfriend for the past two years which McCartney admitted.

To this McCartney revealed in Court that his girlfriend used to stay at his Berry Street home on some occasions but reiterated that he only loved his wife.

Paulini then asked McCartney why he hid his wife’s bags from Police when she went missing after arriving in Fiji on the 22nd of October to which McCartney replied that he didn’t think that Lata was missing as he thought she was with his parents.

According to McCartney's statement given to Police, he gave a statement that it was on the 26th of October when he handed Lata's bags to Police after he was questioned by Police at the Central Police Station.

The case continues this afternoon.