The man accused of a cold case murder has emphatically denied killing his ex-girlfriend and her young daughter and burying their bodies under a motorway bridge.
Juwairiyah Kalim - known as Jojo (left) - and a photo of her and her mother Pakeeza Faizal, also known as Mubarak Yusuf. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police
Kamal Reddy is giving evidence in his own defence at the High Court in Auckland where he has denied murdering Pakeeza Yusuf and three-year-old Juwairiyah Kalim in 2006.
Their bodies were found eight years later after a six-month undercover police operation.
Mr Reddy told undercover officers he had carried out the murders and showed an officer where he buried the bodies.
Today he told the jurors he had initially told police it had been Ms Yusuf's latest boyfriend who killed them, but the officers had not believed him.
He told the court he was never in a formal relationship with Ms Yusuf but agreed to give her money in exchange for posing as his partner for immigration purposes.
However, under cross-examination, Mr Reddy was shown a 2006 police statement with his signature on it, in which he called Ms Yusuf his partner.
The statement related to a fight with Ms Yusuf's ex-husband.
Mr Reddy acknowledged the signature matched his, but couldn't remember making a statement.
The accused agreed with the Crown prosecutor that in the nine and-a-half years since Ms Yusuf and her daughter went missing he had the opportunity to tell detectives and family members about his defence but had failed to do so.
He said he then changed his story and made up details of how he had carried out the killings.