21-year-old Suliasi Fuata who brutally stabbed his defacto partner to death over a Facebook message in Colo-i-Suva on 28th June this year has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 18 years before being considered for a pardon.
He had pleaded guilty to one count of murder on 22nd August this year.
It was heard in court that Fuata came home at about 8 to 9pm on 28th June this year and started arguing with the defacto partner about her Facebook account.
The mother tried to intervene but Fuata continued to argue and asked the mother to give her mobile phone so the deceased can show her Facebook account.
As the mother refused and went away, Fuata took a knife and stabbed his defacto partner several times.
In his sentence, High Court Judge Justice Thushara Rajasinghe said Fuata stabbed the deceased six times through her heart and five times through her lungs which indicate the force he used to stab his defacto partner.
The Judge said the deceased was in a position where she could not escape or seek help.
Justice Rajasinghe told Fuata that by killing his defacto partner in this brutal manner, he breached the trust that she had in him as a partner.
The Judge went on to tell Fuata that just because she was his defacto partner, she had not surrendered her personal autonomy to him.
Justice Rajasinghe said Fuata was not in a position to control every aspect of the woman's life.
Justice Rajasinghe further said the reason for this killing was a very trivial issue.
He said Fuata brutally killed the woman due to certain interactions she made on social media.
It was also heard in court that Fuata's 12-year-old sister witnessed the ordeal.
Justice Rajasinghe said he considered Fuata's young age, early guilty plea and previous good character.
Fuata now has to serve 18 years before a pardon may be considered.
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