Judgment was delivered by Justice Salesi Temo in the High Court after the guilty verdict of the three assessors.

Businessman Timoci Lolohea, 56, has been found guilty of the murder of his defacto partner by the High Court in Suva yesterday.

Lolohea will be sentenced by the High Court in Suva today.

He was found guilty of the murder of Elenoa Dicovi, 22, at Nasilivata Road, Nadera, Nasinu, on March 20th last year.

Lolohea’s judgment was delivered by Justice Salesi Temo in the High Court after the three assessors returned a guilty verdict in the matter.

Office of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) lawyer Siteri Navia and defence lawyer Lisiate Qetaki gave their sentencing submissions to Justice Temo.

In passing judgement, Justice Temo said the assessor’s guilty verdict on the accused showed that they accepted the DPP’s evidence and witnesses who were presented to the High Court last week.

A total of nine witness took the stand during the trial.

He said, he accepted the first two witnesses presented by the ODPP during the trial and that Lolohea had admitted his actions to killing Ms Dicovi at the material time.

He said the accused had a lot of time to cool down after finding out about Ms Dicovi’s affair with another man.

Justice Temo said Lolohea acted out of proportion and the defence submissions of Lolohea being mentally impaired did not apply because there were no evidence.

In sentencing submissions, Mr Qetaki said Lolohea was 56 years old, married and had a daughter.

Mr Qetaki asked if the court could take into consideration that Lolohea was remanded since the day of the murder, on the 20th of March, 2017, and also take into consideration the service he had done for the country.

He also asked the court to consider the co-operation he had shown the court.

Ms Navia submitted that Lolohea could have 10-20 years imprisonment, Mr Qetaki submitted 15 years.

Edited by Percy Kean

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