A young woman who aspired to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a police officer was allegedly stabbed to death by her boyfriend in a tragic incident in Sydney. Nuniah Kurualeba, 21, originally from Fiji, was found with two stab wounds to her chest at an apartment on Great Western Highway in Kingswood. Despite paramedics’ efforts, she did not survive.
Jeremaia Tuwai, also 21, is accused of murdering Kurualeba on Monday around 1:40 pm. Following the incident, Tuwai reportedly fled the scene, leading to a six-hour manhunt. He was eventually arrested on Derby Street in Penrith at 7:10 pm.
Kurualeba emigrated to Australia several years ago and had spoken of her ambitions to join the police force, a dream inspired by her late father, Police Officer Viliame Kurualeba, who passed away in 2016.
The young woman, the eldest of four siblings, had shared a smiling selfie on TikTok just an hour before her tragic death. Heart-wrenching tributes and messages of grief have flooded social media, with friends expressing their shock and heartbreak.
Emergency services were called to the crime scene, and detectives have been working tirelessly to gather evidence. White fingerprint dust could be seen on the window of the ground-floor unit in the aging apartment complex.
Tuwai has been charged with premeditated murder and was denied bail. He is expected to appear at Penrith District Court later today.