A 61-year-old man has received a six-month prison sentence after being found guilty of attacking and stabbing his wife with a roofing iron cutter. Joji Waqasaqa faced a charge of indecent assault for the incident that occurred on March 29 this year.
The High Court in Suva heard that Waqasaqa came home intoxicated one morning while his wife was asleep. Upon waking and feeling scared of her husband’s drunken state, she was assaulted as Waqasaqa punched, kicked, and stomped on her.
In a disturbing escalation, Waqasaqa used a roofing iron cutter to inflict stab wounds to her leg, back, and under her left ear. Justice Waleen George remarked on the severity of the offence, emphasizing the use of a weapon and the role of alcohol in fueling the violence.
Domestic violence, she noted, is alarmingly prevalent in Fiji, and courts have a critical responsibility to denounce and prevent such acts. Although Justice George expressed concern for the financial challenges the victim and her three school-age children may face during Waqasaqa’s incarceration, she deemed that his actions necessitate a prison sentence.
A domestic violence restraining order with standard non-molestation conditions has been placed against Waqasaqa for the protection of his wife. Additionally, Justice George ordered that a copy of the sentencing be provided to the director of Social Welfare to support the victim and her children while Waqasaqa serves his time.