The High Court in Labasa has sentenced 44-year-old Sanjeshwar Chand to life imprisonment for the attempted murder of his mistress in a brutal knife attack in 2022.
Justice Lee Burney delivered the sentence on July 29, 2025, following a three-day trial in April where Mr Chand was found guilty.
According to the court, Mr Chand attacked his mistress with a cane knife while she was squatting to clean herself, slashing her neck multiple times.
The victim survived only by shielding her neck with her hands and pretending to be dead. Mr Chand checked if she was alive, then fled the scene.
In sentencing, Justice Burney said Mr Chand’s actions demonstrated high premeditation and cruelty.
“You persisted in your merciless attack until you believed you had killed her,” he said.
The victim’s impact statement revealed that she continues to suffer both physically and emotionally.
She is unable to move her wrist, cannot work, and is dependent on her brother. She also experiences daily nightmares and has withdrawn socially.
“This was a life-altering attack, and it would be unjust for the offender to benefit from the victim’s strength and instinct to survive,” Justice Burney noted.
Although Mr Chand has no prior convictions and was the sole breadwinner for his family, the judge said his lack of remorse and continued denial of intent to kill undermined his prospects for rehabilitation.
Citing the seriousness of the offence, the judge fixed a minimum non-parole period of 18 years, with 17 years and 4 months remaining after time already served.
“This sentence must reflect the community’s condemnation of domestic violence,” the judge concluded.
Chand has the right to appeal within 30 days.
