A twenty-eight-year old man charged with one count of murder has been given a mandatory life sentence by the Suva High Court this morning.
Tarun Kumar Rawat murdered a fifty-one-year man in July 2011 in Nadi.
Rawat was charged for the murder of a former Hotel Manager, Tevita Tabua.
Judge Justice Salesi Temo says the facts of the case is quite disturbing.
The court heard that Rawat and the deceased were in a relationship however Rawat developed another relationship with a female.
On the 21st July 2011, a heated argument broke out between Rawat and Tabua about Rawat’s physical relationship with his girlfriend.
Rawat then picked up a stone and struck Tabua on the head.
While sentencing the man, Justice Temo says there was no need for Rawat to use violence to resolve his relationship and he has caused sadness to the deceased’s family.
He says giving a harsh punishment to Rawat will protect the community of such perpetrators.
After serving seventeen years imprisonment Rawat can seek pardon from the President.
He has thirty days to appeal to his sentence.
