Wife-basher gets 4 years

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Wednesday March 12th, 2014

 THE National Court in Kokopo has jailed a man for four years for assaulting his wife who he suspected of committing adultery.

The court heard that on Dec 27, 2012, Johnson Wonot, from Nangananga village, in Kokopo, hit his wife on the leg with an iron rod.

He then placed a burning piece of wood on her neck.

Justice Salatiel Lenalia said the court imposed the jail term as a deterrent to potential offenders.

He said husbands must treat their wives with respect and care.

“If there are issues of concern with the marital institution, the parties are at liberty to explore and resort to avenues of alternative dispute resolution forums that are available at the village community level,” Lenalia said.

“However a party resorting to violence as a vehicle to do bush justice in order to achieve a quick fix justice cannot be allowed to plague the village community normal traditional social acceptable behavioural level at all time.”

The State prosecutor submitted that the court should treat the case seriously because it fell within the category of domestic violence.

He said wife bashers should receive serious punishment to send a message to the community.