Praneeta Prakash 
File Photo
The State has today asked the Suva High Court to deliver a high-end sentence against the convict who murdered a one-year-three-month-old child in Cunningham, Suva last October.
The state counsel said 37-year-old Sairusi Ceinaturaga violently assaulted the toddler.
The court heard that Ceinaturaga used an aluminium cooking spoon to strike the child, struck his head against a wall and then threw him onto a mattress.
He also slapped the child’s three-year-old brother and bit him on the face, before assaulting their mother, who was his de facto partner at the time.
The State argued that Ceinaturaga failed to take the child to hospital after the attack and has shown no remorse.
A victim impact statement from the children’s mother was read in court, in which she described deep emotional suffering following the loss of her son and said she will never forgive the accused.
Defence counsel disputed the State’s stance, claiming the case does not fall into the category of extremely high harm and saying the events were not pre-planned.
The defence also requested concurrent sentencing, as Ceinaturaga has been convicted of murder and assault.
The man will be sentenced on Monday.
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