Convicted murderer asks for 5 year term

A 33 year-old woman from Enga who was convicted for the murder of a woman, whom she shared a husband with has asked the National Court through her lawyer for a sentence of five years.

Julina Henry and his lawyer went before the National Court today where submissions were made on what the court should impose as her penalty for the crime.

Justice Panuel Mogish in hearing submission reserved his sentence on penalty to Friday.

She was convicted last year for the murder of Naomi Henry, on July 21, 2015 at Wildlife in Port Moresby. Both women were married to the same man.

The incident took place around 6:30 that morning after Henry went to her husband’s house looking for her son when she found the deceased drinking with her husband. A struggle took place between the two women and the deceased was stabbed.

Her lawyer asked the court for a sentence of 10 years and a further five year to be deducted from that on the court’s discretion because the deceased instigated the attack and Henry acted in self- defence “at the spur of the moment”.

Henry’s lawyer said the deceased had the knife when she was disarmed and later swing around to keep people off.

The court was also informed that her husband has since passed on and her two children aged 17 and 4 need her.

The State however submitted that a sentence range of between 10-13 years is appropriate because despite Henry disarming the deceased , she did not flee from the scene when she had the opportunity.

Henry was arrested on July 25,2015 and has been in custody for one year, six months and one week.

 

 

Author: 
Sally Pokiton