12 years for husband’s murder

By TREVOR WAHUNE
A 23-YEAR-OLD woman has been jailed for 12 years for murdering her husband using a kitchen knife at Ragamuga settlement at 6-Mile, Port Moresby, in 2016.
Justice Panuel Mogish, while on a Central court circuit in the Bomana National Court yesterday, sentenced Anita Simon, a mother of two, for murdering Dui Ton after a short argument.
Two weeks prior to the murder, Simon had spoken about stabbing her husband. On Dec 9 she stabbed her husband on his chest using a kitchen knife.
At the time of the incident state witness Sain David, Ton’s aunt, was present during the couple’s argument. When David saw them stand up, she knew they were going to fight, she said.
David walked towards the couple to stop them fighting. She saw Simon lift her hand while holding a kitchen knife and stab Ton once on the chest.
Simon then removed the knife and ran away. She was later arrested and charged with murder.
An autopsy report dated Dec 14, 2016 confirmed that the stab wound penetrated Ton’s heart.
Simon pleaded guilty to the murder charge.
Simon in a statement apologised to the court for her actions.
“I killed the man I dearly loved,” she said.
She asked the court to impose a light sentence so she could be with her children, one aged four, and the other three.
The court took into account mitigating factors that Simon pleaded guilty to an offence that was very serious, where its maximum penalty would be life sentence.
“The plea was of benefit to the court and the prosecution.”
However the court held that the guilty plea was belated.
“It does not withstands admissions contained in her record of interview and confessional statements through her counsel elected to plead not guilty during the directions hearing.
“This is not the first case where there has been a last-minute change of plea,” Justice Mogish said.
When sentencing Simon, Justice Mogish said: “Those kind of killings have tragic and grave consequences on family units.
“Children suffer because of the actions of one parent.
“In this case two children have now lost their father.”
Mogish said such serious violent offences demands tougher penalties and the court cannot ignore.