Updated: 6:55am – A 35-year-old man who set fire to his wife in 2015 has been sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment by the Suva High court.
Venketesh Goundar was convicted by High court Judge Justice Salesi Temo earlier this month.
37-year-old Goundar set his 25-year-old wife on fire inside the Bargain Box shop in Lautoka three years ago.
The woman had sustained 35 percent burns and died ten days later at the Lautoka hospital while undergoing medical treatment.
While sentencing Goundar the High court Judge said the two were experiencing marital problems and the wife had left him and was living separately.
Justice Temo said that the man felt that his wife had broken his family by cheating on him.
The High court Judge also said that Goundar had several options, however, he chose to murder his wife.
Goundar will have to serve minimum of 18-years before he could be considered for a pardon.
-FBC
