A 31-year-old Sigatoka woman who murdered her 14-year-old sister-in-law on 1st November, 2015 has been sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment.
Acting High Court Judge Rangajeeva Wimalasena says the woman and her mother-in-law were both charged with murder. Her mother-in-law was sentenced to life imprisonment on 3rd June, 2016.
The 14-year-old deceased was the woman’s mother-in-law’s daughter.
It was revealed in court that the woman was inside the room when her 14-year-old sister-in-law was assaulted. The young girl’s hands were tied to the rafter and the legs were tied to a bed. Justice Wimalasena says the woman tied the girl’s hands and dragged her out of the room. He says the woman then burnt the 14-year-old girl’s body and disposed the remains in a septic tank.
The judge says this is another case where domestic violence has escalated to a level which has finally cost the life of a young child. He says the facts of this case clearly reveal that if the family members, neighbours and the teachers at the school took timely action, this death could have been prevented.
Justice Wimalasena says the main witness of this case was the younger sister of the deceased. He says unfortunately she was raped by the woman’s husband. The husband was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment for raping his own 9-year-old sister.
The Acting Judge says as a result of not taking timely action to prevent domestic violence, one child lost her life, one child became a rape victim and the woman’s two children are now deprived of love and care of both parents.
In mitigation, it was revealed that the woman was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and is undergoing chemotherapy.
Justice Wimalasena declined to set a minimum term in this case and set a mandatory life sentence.
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