THE High Court in Suva has sentenced a 33-year-old man to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years for the murder of his partner.
Anare Vuli Cilicewa, also known as “Rex”, was sentenced on September 23 by Justice Pita Bulamainaivalu after being found guilty of murder.
The court heard that on Sunday, September 8, 2024, Cilicewa engaged in physical and emotional abuse towards his partner, Sabreen Shaheen Ali, also known as “Sabrina”.
During the incident, Cilicewa repeatedly slapped Ali, forcefully inserted a condom filled with cloth into her mouth, causing her to gasp for air, and strangled her using his hands and an electrical cord, which he also used to tie her neck, hands, and legs.
After the assault, Cilicewa wrapped the deceased’s body in a sheet and dragged it down to a room with a bed.
Following a report made by a witness to the Raiwaqa Police Station the following day, police officers attended the scene and discovered Ali’s body.
Cilicewa has 30 days to appeal the decision to the Fiji Court of Appeal.
