27 year old Marika Qovuniceva has been sentenced to life imprisonment for robbing and murdering 33 year old taxi driver, Nitesh Kumar Chand on the 1st of June 2024 in Tavua.
Qovuniceva was found guilty of aggravated robbery and murder.
High Court Judge, Samuela Qica says according to the charges, Qovuniceva and a juvenile robbed Chand of a pocket wi-fi, a mobile phone, a taxi meter, a wallet containing cash of $200 and a taxi, and then strangled and repeatedly punched the mouth and head of Chand, which caused his death.
The juvenile had earlier pleaded guilty however, Qovuniceva had pleaded not guilty to the offences.
The court heard that Qovuniceva and the juvenile had planned to travel to Suva from Tavua to rob a house and obtain money.
After two drivers refused, an unsuspecting Chand accepted the fare to take the two.
The taxi was diverted to Matalevu, and near a bridge, the accused caused the vehicle to stop.
The judge relayed that what followed was a violent attack upon an unsuspecting working man who had done no more than accept a fare.
Justice Qica says the deceased was strangled with his own seatbelt.
He was also subjected to repeated blunt-force blows to the mouth and head of such severity that the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage were fractured, the lower canine teeth were lost, and there was subarachnoid haemorrhage over both cerebral hemispheres.
Justice Qica says after the murder, they opened the driver's door, pulled the deceased from the vehicle, assisted in dragging his body, reversed and parked the taxi, and then drove it a considerable distance to the Suva area.
The body was left face-down in shallow water under the Matalevu Bridge.
Chand’s body was found two days later, on 3rd June 2024.
The taxi was abandoned on Khalsa Road with blood on the driver's side.
Qovuniceva confirmed he sold the taxi meter for $450, and used $150 of the proceeds to buy drinks and snacks.
Justice Qica says Nitesh Kumar Chand was a brother and a son, and in the afternoons he drove a taxi for a living.
He says in this country taxi drivers do a very important public duty as they work for many hours, often carry cash, and have to tolerate people within a small space.
Justice Qica says they are rather vulnerable, they enjoy community trust, and the damage, when they are robbed and killed in the course of their profession, is not exclusive to a single family.
He says it damages public confidence in a service which ordinary people rely on every day.
A minimum term of 20 years' imprisonment is to be served by Qovuniceva before pardon may be considered by the President.
The 15 months already served in pre-trial custody is to be deducted from that minimum term, leaving 18 years and 9 months to be served from the date of the sentence before pardon may be considered.
