Inside story of Sydney woman who allegedly dismembered husband

A Sydney woman is alleged to have killed and butchered her husband, placed his body parts in 20 to 30 rubbish bags and dumped them in bins across south western Sydney before impersonating him on social media, a court has heard.

Nirmeen Noufl, 54, on Thursday appeared in the NSW Supreme Court in a bid to be released on bail after she was last month charged with the murder of her husband Mamdouh.

Mr Noufl, 62, was reported missing from their Greenacre home in July last year and was initially treated as a missing person before his wife was charged with his murder this year.

Police have alleged Ms Noufl killed her husband and cut up his body using knives and a power saw before disposing of his remains.

The court heard on Thursday that it’s alleged that his body parts were placed in 20 to 30 rubbish bags and placed in residential and industrial bins in the suburbs around her home.

“To say that it was horrendous and disturbing would be an understatement, when someone goes to the lengths of what (Ms Noufl) is alleged to have done,” Crown prosecutor William Sit told the court.

“Dismembering the deceased and … essentially disposing of the deceased in a manner where we know that he will never be found.”

Ms Noufl’s barrister Greg James KC told the court that before his death, Mr Noufl transferred money to an overseas woman, who later claimed she was his fiancee.

And Mr Sit told the court that following his alleged murder, Ms Noufl later messaged the woman asking for the money to be returned.

“That transmission is a further circumstance that would point towards the intentional killing of the deceased,” Mr Sit said.

Police say it’s believed Mr Noufl was murdered in May and his remains have not been located.

Mr Noufl was reported missing by family friends in July last year and it was initially reported to police that he had travelled back to his native Egypt.

However when his family in Egypt said they did not know where he was, it sparked alarm and police escalated their investigation, with assistance from the NSW Crime Commission.

The court heard that it was alleged he was killed some time after 9pm, after he returned home from a meeting with a friend.

He was never seen again.

It has been alleged that Ms Noufl was involved in a physical altercation with her husband when he was killed, the court heard on Thursday.

“The Crown case statement says that there were minor facial injuries suffered by Ms Noufl during the alleged physical altercation with the deceased,” Justice Sweeney said.

Justice Sweeney added that her injuries “may give rise to issues of self defence or provocation”.

The court was also told that Ms Noufl reported that Mr Noufl was abusive and that in 2012 she told a medical practitioner that she was a victim of domestic violence.

Police were also called in 2008 and 2009, the court heard, following reports of domestic violence.

Her barrister Greg James KC applied for bail, attacking the strength of the Crown case, arguing she could not prepare for trial in custody and that any trial would not go ahead before 2026.

“One doesn’t know that if you put your garbage in some other person’s bin, it won’t be located and found,” Mr James told the court.

“Often people take exception to such things.”

He proposed bail conditions that Ms Noufl wear an electronic ankle monitor and either live with family in Greenacre or to reside at a mental health facility at Bankstown Hospital.

Police have further alleged that Ms Noufl took control of his mobile phone and social media accounts to impersonate him in order to make out that he was still alive.

It’s alleged that Mr Noufl’s phone continued to be used after he disappeared and up until the time that Ms Noufl went overseas.

It has been alleged their Juno Parade home was extensively cleaned and the floorboards ripped up after his killing.

Detectives in October arrested Ms Noufl at Bankstown Hospital, where she had checked herself in as a mental health inpatient.

The court was told that Ms Noufl had been diagnosed with a depressive disorder and PTSD, and a forensic psychiatrist had observed she had possible psychotic symptoms.

Justice Sweeney said that Ms Noufl had “told people about receiving communications from an angel”

It has been alleged that she had financial motives for the alleged murder.

The Crown has alleged that on the day that Mr Noufl was killed, he went to the Egyptian embassy and signed over power of attorney relating to an overseas property.

The court was told that Ms Noufl then travelled overseas to Egypt, sold his properties and returned home with US$200,000

Police say they also found evidence that Ms Noufl was planning to set up a new life overseas.

Justice Sweeney on Thursday denied her bail application.

She has yet to enter a plea and will appear in court again on December 11.