THE court has sent a 23 year-old man who severs his wife’s fingers in March in Northeast Guadalcanal to two years and three months behind bars.
The defendant, Abel Koma had pleaded guilty to one count of Grievous Harm and one count of Intimidation.
Principal Magistrate Elma Veenah Rizzu Hilly stated during the sentencing on Thursday that the sentence she imposed was intended to deter Koma from future offending.
“It should also serve as a warning to those like-minded persons that the courts will not tolerate such behaviours,” she said.
She emphasized that families, particularly the vulnerable, must feel safe and protected in their own communities, and even in their own homes.
Magistrate Hilly also highlighted that both offenses occurred either on or in the presence of a child, an innocent 8-month old infant who was caught in the middle of the parents’ issues that led to his or her mother being harmed seriously and suffers from permanent disfigurement.
“The defendant attacked the victim while she was carrying their 8-month-old child.
“This is a very dangerous decision that the defendant had made without due consideration of his surroundings and without putting any thought to what could have happened to their child.
“If it were not for the victim shielding the child she was carrying from the knife, the situation could have been worse and the child harmed.
She said the expectation of a father and partner or a husband is to protect his family from harm and danger.
“Instead, the defendant did the opposite by bringing harm and danger to his own family.”
She said victim is left with two amputated fingers on her right hand and her ability to fully utilize her hands have been diminished and permanently disfigured.
The incident occurred on 21 March 2025, between 9am and 10am at Betagura Village in Reko area.
Koma became angry with his wife after discovering that she left their child unattended at another woman’s house and had gone to pick pumpkin tops 20 meters away from the house.
The situation escalated when the wife swore at Koma and accused him of being jealous at her for nothing.
Koma attacked his wife while she was carrying their child, swinging the bush knife at her but she missed it by bending down.
He then chopped the pumpkin leaves with a long bush knife.
Again, he turned the knife on his wife, and in an attempted to block the knife from the child, the knife clashed her right hand and cutting three fingers on her right hand.
Two fingers were immediately amputated and fell to the ground, while the third was left hanging by a strip of skin.
After the attack, Koma threw away the knife and apologised.
They returned home and the victim informed her mother about the incident.
Her mother took her to her house and transported her to Good Samaritan Hospital, where she was admitted for two days.
The victim expressed her sadness in losing her two fingers.
Later, Koma’s family compensated the victim’s family by giving one pig, $300 in cash and $100 in assisting her treatment at the hospital.
Defence Counsel Wally Hatingongo represented Koma while Public Prosecutor Nickson Tonowane appeared for the Crown.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
