“YOU were not in a position to control every aspect of her life and punish her for her decision to leave you.”
These were the comments made by High Court judge Justice Thushara Rajasinghe to a man sentenced to life imprisonment for killing his wife at Naseakula in Labasa last year.
Tevita Vuniwai was convicted of one count of murder.
The court was told that in February last year, the victim, Amelia Baletagici Tuima, had complained about domestic violence by Vuniwai.
She then obtained a domestic violence restraining order (DVRO) against Vuniwai on March 6 before moving to another place.
The next day, March 7, 2018, the court was told that Vuniwai caught a taxi and picked the victim from a bus stop.
He then took her to a location close to the Coca-Cola warehouse in Naseakula where they spoke, however, when the victim wanted to leave for her classes, Vuniwai took out a pocket knife and stabbed the victim on her abdomen and neck.
She was admitted to the hospital but 30 minutes after her admission, she succumbed to the injuries she sustained during the attack.
In passing sentence, Justice Rajasinghe said he found the level of harm and culpability in the matter substantially high.
“By killing your wife who was the mother of your own child, you have breached the trust that she had in you as her husband,” he said.
“Just because she was your wife, she was not required to surrender her personal autonomy to you.
“If she found your abusive behaviour unbearable, she had a right to move away from you and make her own life as she wanted.
“I find these reasons as aggravating factors.”
Vuniwai has to serve a minimum of 18 years before a pardon could be considered.
