By ELIZABETH VUVU
A FATHER in Buka assaulted his 18-year-old daughter so viciously that he broke her jaw and skull.
Simon Levin, of Kulu Island, then reported that Eileen had committed suicide and buried the body.
He claimed that she got upset after he slapped her on Jan 13, 2005, and took a drug overdose.
One of her cousins, however, became suspicious and reported the matter to the police who exhumed the body for investigation.
A post-mortem showed that Eileen had died due to brain haemorrhage caused by a blunt instrument.
In passing sentence yesterday, Justice David Cannings said there was no intent by Levin, now is in his 50s, to kill his daughter.
“I don’t think this was the worst sorts of homicides as there was no strong intent to do grievous bodily harm.
“I feel obliged to give great weight to the offender’s age. By PNG standards, he is getting to the stage where he might be considered an old man. Lengthy sentences for people of an advanced stage should be reserved for the worst sorts of homicides,” he said.
Levin was sentenced to 12 years’ jail.
He was detained two years ago and will therefore serve another 10 years.