Praneeta Prakash 
[File Photo]
A 36–year–old man who strangled his wife and burnt her body in Nadi a few years ago has been handed a mandatory life sentence by the Lautoka High Court.
Father of two, Moneel Narayan, was convicted of one count of murder by the Lautoka High Court.
The court heard that the deceased was living separately at the time of the offense after a family dispute, which ended up in court.
The Lautoka High Court heard that on 11 September 2018, Narayan picked up his wife from Nadi and took her to his house in Malamala, where he strangled her and loaded her into a wheelbarrow.
He took the body to an isolated well near their house and dumped it inside.
Later, he burned her body in a dry water well.
After a week, he hired an excavator and covered the well with soil.
The court heard that he confessed to the murder when he was arrested by police.
High Court Judge Justice Aruna Aluthge said that murder is the most serious offense in the Crimes Act.
The Judge, while sentencing Narayan, said that this murder was clearly intentional, motivated, and premeditated.
Justice Aluthge set a minimum term of 18 years to be served before a pardon is considered.
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