HIGH Court judge Justice Riyaz Hamza handed a mandatory life sentence to a man who stabbed his de facto partner to death with a kitchen and cane knife.
Nikasio Tupou murdered his de facto partner who was also pregnant during the time of the incident.
The incident took place on February 4, 2000 at Samabula, Suva.
Justice Hamza said the evidence highlighted that Tupou had violated the trust of the deceased as they were in a domestic relationship.
He said the post-mortem examination result stated that he had stabbed the victim to death using the two knives and as a result, the victim sustained several deep cut wounds over her head and neck.
She also sustained wounds on her upper abdomen.
The post-mortem examination result also showed that the injuries over her neck and head were the most fatal.
Tupou had appealed against his conviction after the original trial on December 16, 2010.
The Court of Appeal then ordered for the original conviction for murder to be set aside and for a retrial to be held.
He has been remanded in custody for nearly one and a half years prior to and after his murder conviction.
The High Court judge said he would not take into account his period of remand to determine the minimum term that was to be served by the murderer.
Tupou will serve a minimum term of 12 years before a pardon may be considered.
