A Labasa woman who had accidently cut the throat of her newborn bady while trying to cut the umbilical cord has been convicted of murder.
She has been jailed for life, with the Labasa High Court ordering a non-parole period of nine years.
The incident took place in June 2020 in Boubale, Labasa.
Justice Pita Bulamainaivalu said in his May 14 ruling the aggravating factors were that the accused covertly gave birth to a baby boy and murdered the newly born baby by cutting its neck when attempting to cut the umbilical cord which was around the baby’s neck.
The judge added she concealed her pregnancy even from her husband and instead said that she had a stomach cyst.
The judge also found the accused was reckless in terms of taking immense risk by not attending pregnancy medical clinics during the gestation period as required of pregnant women, and concurrently endangering her own life as well.
