Woman gets 25 years for murder

 By DEMAS TIEN
THE Waigani National Court has sentenced a woman to 25 years imprisonment for the murder of her husband’s first wife.
Justice George Manuhu told Cathleen Philip, 28, from Pori village in Hela, on Friday that the charge was serious and carried the death penalty.
But Manuhu gave the prison sentence because he found that there were elements of provocation that caused the woman to commit the offence.
The deceased, Emily Mire, and her son had left their home at Garden Hills in the National Capital District for his school.
When they arrived at Gordon Market, the mother let her son go to school while she watched him.
Philip attacked Mire with a kitchen knife.
Mire was carrying her baby at the time.
Philip stabbed Mire several times which resulted in multiple wounds to her neck and shoulder.
Philip, the second wife, had paid K18,000 to the family of the deceased as compensation.
The husband paid K70,000.
The court accepted the State submission on the aggravating factors such as the use of a dangerous weapon, the deceased was defenceless and that the incident took place in a public place.
The court also considered that Philip had been treated badly by the husband and Mire.
The court found that Philip was assaulted several times by Mire but no compensation was paid despite requests.