Killer wife jailed 15 years

THE National Court in Waigani jailed a woman 15 years for killing her husband’s lover two years ago in a motel’s car park in what Justice Teresa Berrigan described as a “vicious attack on a defenseless person”.
Justice Berrigan on Friday sentenced Esther Eroane, 39, from Bena’s Sagifa village in Eastern Highlands for the murder of Fenda Warasi on Oct 29, 2018, for having an affair with her (Eroane) husband.
Eroane had followed Warasi and her husband to the Morobe Transit Motel car park in Kwadi, off Angau Drive, Port Moresby, between 6.30pm and 6.45pm where her husband was trying to book a room for them. While her husband went to the reception to book a room, Eroane approached Warasi who stood unguarded, and stabbed her several times with a kitchen knife.
People nearby stepped in to stop her and detain her, but she fled in a taxi .
Warasi suffered multiple injuries and was rushed to the Port Moresby General Hospital where she died.
“This is not a domestic matter, or a family matter, it is a criminal matter. No one is entitled to attack another person out of anger or revenge,” Justice Berrigan said.
“This was a serious case where an offensive weapon was used intended to cause grievous bodily harm. This is a vicious attack on a defenceless woman.
“The victim’s last moments would have been terrifying and agonising.
“The victim seems to be forgotten in all of this.
“There was planning prior to the attack given that she (Eroane) crept up on the deceased and stabbed her,” she said.
Justice Berrigan said Eroane had been married to her husband for 21 years and it would have been humiliating for her (Eroane) to go through this ordeal.
“But no one had a right to take away a life regardless.
“No one is entitled to take the law into their own hands.
“No amount of compensation or remorse would bring a life back.
“The fundamental right to human life is enshrined in the Constitution.”
Justice Berrigan said these type of cases were becoming prevalent, saying that Eroane’s children were the ones who would suffer the most.
The mitigating factors includes Eroane’s early guilty plea, she is a first time offender, cooperated with police and expressed remorse.
She jailed Eroane 15 years with light labour and deducted time spent in custody, which was two years and 1 month.
Eroane will serve 12 years and 11 months in Bomana Prison.