Man Charged with Murder
A man has been formally charged with the murder of 49-year-old Rolandas Kvederis.
The court was informed that Mr. Kvederis sustained seven stab wounds to his neck and lower back, with the tip of a knife found embedded in the bone of his neck.
51-year-old Ruslanas Kovalkovas, a Lithuanian national, appeared at Lisburn Magistrates' Court facing the murder charge.
Through an interpreter, Kovalkovas stated:
"I did not kill him; I was defending myself".
Authorities received a 999 call from the daughter of another man residing in the same flat as Mr. Kvederis and Kovalkovas.
Upon arrival, police discovered a "large pool of blood" and found Mr. Kvederis lying at the top of the stairs.
A detective sergeant testified that Mr. Kvederis "had been stabbed" and that a knife was located near the sink, with a smaller knife found on the kitchen table.
There was reportedly "no evidence of any disturbance in the flat," according to the officer.
When questioned, Kovalkovas initially did not respond but later made an unsolicited statement:
"He came at me with a knife. I was defending myself".
The court also heard that the deceased exhibited "no defensive injuries."
'Self-defence'
The detective sergeant explained that during police interviews, Kovalkovas described a disagreement within the flat and noted that the deceased "had been drinking and was very drunk."
Kovalkovas told police that Mr. Kvederis "began poking" him with a knife. He stated he "shouted I am being killed then made an automatic movement to his throat and stabbed him three times."
The court was informed there was a "scuffle," and Kovalkovas told police:
"I didn't want to do this. I had no choice. Otherwise, I'd have been dead."
A solicitor representing Kovalkovas characterized the case as "self-defence," noting that his client told police:
"It was me or him."
The detective sergeant responded by emphasizing the police's responsibility to protect the public and stated that due to the "frenzied attack," whether self-defence applies would be a matter for a jury to determine at a later date.
Bail was denied, and Kovalkovas was remanded in custody to appear again on 24 April via videolink.
