A 60-YEAR-OLD mother yesterday shed tears of joy knowing that justice has been served although her daughter was no more.
Kelera McGowan was an emotional woman outside the High Court in Suva yesterday.
This was after the man convicted of the murder of her daughter, Losana McGowan last year was sentenced to life imprisonment by Justice Priyantha Fernando.
Usaia Kilaiverata killed Ms McGowan after an argument at their flat in Toorak, Suva, in the early hours of April 4 last year.
He must serve a minimum term of 18 years in prison before a pardon can be considered by the President of Fiji.
Mrs McGowan said life had been hard since her daughter died.
“Every day I watch the news and see her picture, it always seems that she just died yesterday. It has always been hard for me to see her picture on television,” Mrs McGowan said.
“I still cannot believe that she has died because to me she is always traveling and it’s just like that she has gone somewhere and has not returned.
“After she died, I was mentally distraught but today I am so happy that justice is served even though she is not around.”
In his ruling, Justice Fernando said the aggravating factors were that the matter was a domestic violence offence and that Ms McGowan suffered multiple injuries because of continued assaults.
