A family shattered and reeling from shock—that’s how Tevita Seru described their emotional state upon receiving the devastating news of his 21-year-old niece, Nunia Kurualeba, who was killed in an alleged domestic violence incident at her apartment in Kingswood, Western Sydney, Australia, on Monday afternoon.
Nunia had left for Australia last year on a student visa to study finance. Last month, she visited her family during a break. On Monday, they received the heartbreaking news. According to ‘9NEWS,’ Nunia was found dead with two stab wounds to her chest after police were called to the Great Western Highway in Kingswood at about 1.40 pm (Sydney time) on Monday.
Nunia’s partner, Jeremaia Tuwai, 21, has been arrested, charged, and denied bail by the Penrith Court in Sydney.
In 2016, Nunia, then 14, spoke fondly about her late father, Police Constable Viliame Kurualeba, during the Fiji Police Force Remembrance Day Commemoration in Lautoka. She had lost him to an illness in January 2016 and attended the event to honor his sacrifices.
Nunia, the eldest of three siblings, had a promising future ahead. She had attended Nadi Airport School, Adi Cakobau School, Vunisea Secondary, Suva Christian School, and finally a school in Ba.
Speaking from Kadavu, Mr. Seru, Nunia’s Tata Levu (Uncle), described her: “Nunia was special to us for many reasons, one of which is that she was named after my mother. She was the eldest of three girls and stayed under my care for most of her secondary school years after her dad passed away. She grew up in my house and was very close to my family.”
He added, “She was in Australia with her younger sister while her mother is in the United States. The youngest sibling is here in the west with her aunt. Nunia was always conservative and rarely shared what she was going through.”
Amid the profound sorrow, Mr. Seru said they would cling to cherished memories of Nunia, her infectious laughter, and her dreams for a bright future that will now remain unfulfilled.